HKU Centre for Medical Ethics & Law

The Centre for Medical Ethics & Law develops new ideas & solutions in response to big ethical, legal & policy questions of medicine & health (@HKULaw & @HKUMed)

[HKU Centre for Medical Ethics & Law @HKUCMEL]

@HKUniversity Research Team, featuring CMEL Profs Eric C. Ip & Trevor Wan, urge greater global recognition of a constitutional right to #mentalhealth in @TheLancet Psychiatry.

#constitutionalrights #righttomentalhealth #medicallaw @HkuLaw @hkumed @HKU_SPH
https://t.co/szCdyBRoGW

[HKU-Medical Ethics & Humanities Unit (MEHU) @hku_mehu]

Prof @alex_gearin & Dr @TehseenNoorani recently published "Psychedelic attunements: rethinking set and setting and context" at @biosocieties @SpringerNature.

Can read it online here:
https://t.co/2xlEB2DanS

Gearin, A.K., Noorani, T. Psychedelic attunements: rethinking set and setting and context. BioSocieties (2026). https://t.co/tWQzK1TY5m

[HKU-Medical Ethics & Humanities Unit (MEHU) @hku_mehu]

In their latest article, "Political Loneliness and Palestinian Hunger Strikers," Zohar Lederman and his colleagues Ryan Essex, Anne Irfan, Shmuel Lederman, Zvika Orr and Emily Schneider, explore the concept of political loneliness, focusing on the case of Sheikh Khader Adnan.

Read it at:
Zohar Lederman, Ryan Essex, Anne Irfan, Shmuel Lederman, Zvika Orr, Emily Schneider; Political Loneliness and Palestinian Hunger Strikers. 𝘑𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘑𝘦𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘌𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘴 5 January 2025; 11 (1): 24–53. doi: https://t.co/hio2KtRue2

@HKUCMEL

#PoliticalLoneliness #HungerStrike #Forcefeeding #Palestinian #Gaza

[HKU-Medical Ethics & Humanities Unit (MEHU) @hku_mehu]

Previously, Dr Md Sanwar Siraj @SanwarSiraj co‑authored two papers with Prof Ruiping Fan, focusing on medically assisted suicide or voluntary active euthanasia and organ donation in Islamic regions.

Don’t miss these works if you are interested in learning more about the ethical and cultural contexts of Islamic regions.

Sanwar Siraj, Ruiping Fan, The Case Against Legalizing Medically Assisted Suicide or Voluntary Active Euthanasia in Islamic Regions, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘑𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘔𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘗𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘺: 𝘈 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘶𝘮 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘉𝘪𝘰𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘗𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘔𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘦, 2026;, jhag001, https://t.co/BuGQxlrFYF

Siraj, S., Fan, R. Promoting deceased organ donation: should familist incentives be adopted in Islamic regions?. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘔𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘉𝘪𝘰𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘴 47, 195–212 (2026). https://t.co/M41upDluHw

@HKUCMEL @hku_mehu

#IslamicBioethics #IslamicEthics #HealthLaw

[HKU Centre for Medical Ethics & Law @HKUCMEL]

Register now to join the Medical Law Conference [CPD/CME] on Sat, 29 August 2026! 🩺📚 Learn more at https://t.co/wyiNHYHC2r Don't miss out! #medicalLaw #medicalnegligence #professionalmisconduct #childabuse #healthcarepractitioners

[CambUP Earth and Environmental Science @CambUP_EarthSci]

New Cambridge Element, Planetary Health Law and Governance, by Eric C. Ip, out now! Read Open Access at
https://t.co/O2uLrhafIS
#cambridgeelements #openaccess #earth #environmentalscience @HKUCMEL

[HKU-Medical Ethics & Humanities Unit (MEHU) @hku_mehu]

[𝑷𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝐀𝒍𝒆𝒓𝒕] 📢 📢

Prof Carl Hildebrand @CarlHbrand has recently published a commentary entitled "Thinking Outside the Space Between: On the Purpose and Limits of Empathy" in the 𝘑𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘗𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘌𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, discussing empathy and Prof Heidi Maibom's book 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘉𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯: 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘌𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴.

Read the commentary at:
Hildebrand, Carl. 2026. “Thinking Outside the Space Between: On the Purpose and Limits of Empathy." 𝘑𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘗𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘌𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 8, no. 1: 24-30. https://t.co/7YG8Es6071

#Empathy #PerspectiveTaking #Normativity #Impartiality #MoralJudgment #MoralRationalism

[Calvin Ho @CalvinWLHo]

Many thanks @simonelmc for sharing some of my thoughts in your insightful @CNN article on the tragic outcome of an experimental gene-editing trial recently reported in @ScienceMagazine ➡️ https://t.co/C84TvphRBt ⬅️

[HKU-Medical Ethics & Humanities Unit (MEHU) @hku_mehu]

In May, we were delighted to host the inaugural Annual Forum on Medical Humanities Education and Teacher Appreciation Dinner. It was an honour to welcome so many colleagues, community partners, and students who are passionate about medical education and who came together to deepen their understanding of #MEHU and the Medical Humanities (MH) Programme, while fostering dialogue among stakeholders to further enhance medical humanities education at #HKUMed.

We were honoured to have Prof Audrey Shafer from the Stanford University School of Medicine (@StanfordMed) deliver the keynote lecture, "Said and Unsaid: Poetry and Medicine." In addition, our Director, Prof Julie Chen, highlighted the development of our unit and the MH programme, while Dr Nicolette Ray introduced the creative works produced by MBBS Year 1 students. We also presented certificates to the Student Associates of #MEHU in recognition of their exceptional commitment to advancing medical ethics and humanities. Furthermore, we invited Ethos, an award-winning platform dedicated to exploring the human side of healthcare, to showcase its outstanding work to our guests.

Once again, we would like to express our heartfelt appreciation to all participants in the inaugural forum. We greatly value everyone's support and look forward to continuing our collaborative efforts to advance medical humanities education.

For more details about the event, please visit:
https://t.co/T8ApB3eXU1

P.S. The HKU Medical Ethics and Humanities Unit is immensely grateful for a generous donation from an anonymous donor in appreciation of the exceptional teachers in the MBBS Medical Humanities (MH) programme, who also wished to specifically recognize our Director, Prof Julie Chen, for her leadership and longstanding contributions to medical humanities education.

@hku_mehu @hkumed @HKUniversity @StanfordMed @StanfordMedMuse

#MEHU #AnnualForumOnMedicalHumanitiesEducation #MedicalHumanities #MedicalHumanitiesEducation #MedicalEducation

[HKU-Medical Ethics & Humanities Unit (MEHU) @hku_mehu]

✨ Something new to share!

The latest issue (Mar-Apr 2026) of the Centre for Medical Ethics and Law (CMEL) newsletter is now available. Explore the latest research and knowledge‑exchange initiatives by #MEHU and our members.

👉 Read the #CMEL e-newsletter here:
https://t.co/wr1JPNFJwL

@HKUCMEL @hku_mehu @hkumed @HkuLaw @HKUniversity

#CMEL #MEHU #Newsletter #KnowledgeExchange

[HKU-Medical Ethics & Humanities Unit (MEHU) @hku_mehu]

𝐈𝐧 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐫 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐞𝐥 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐨

It was with profound shock and sadness that we share the passing of our dear colleague, Dr Michael Manio. His sudden departure leaves a void that cannot be filled, but also a legacy that will inspire us forever.

Dr Mike was a truly kind and humble individual whose unwavering dedication touched the lives of thousands of foreign domestic workers each year. His commitment went beyond the ordinary—he devoted countless hours to support those often marginalized, demonstrating his deep compassion and sense of social justice.

A passionate supporter of medical humanities, Dr Mike consistently enriched our curriculum through his genuine engagement and unwavering support. Over the past three years, whenever we organized the Game Café to explore health inequalities in Hong Kong, he never hesitated to accept our invitation for foreign domestic workers to share their stories. He served not just as a facilitator but as a friend—connecting, listening, and standing alongside those he cared for.

Dr Mike also fostered cultural dialogue through a co-created exhibition at Body Donation Day 2026, exploring the meaning of life, death, altruism, and human dignity. He transformed what could have been a scientific display into a powerful platform for public reflection and learning.

His humility and devotion were evident in every interaction. In private conversations, he often shared how he spent his weekends supporting and empowering domestic workers through initiatives like EmpowerU, helping them access vital health knowledge. His efforts created spaces of learning, dignity, and respect—transforming lives in quiet but profound ways.

Dr Mike was more than a supporter; he was an exemplar of compassion, humility, and unwavering dedication to social justice and medical education. His loss is deeply felt by all of us. We are grateful for his legacy and the indelible mark he leaves on our hearts and our work.

Rest in peace, dear Mike. You will be greatly missed but never forgotten.

[HKU-Medical Ethics & Humanities Unit (MEHU) @hku_mehu]

🎉Early Career Scheme (ECS) for 2026-27🎉

We are delighted to extend our congratulations to Prof Carl Hildebrand @CarlHbrand, who has secured research funding through the Early Career Scheme (ECS) in the 2026-27 exercise.

Research project: "Kant, Sympathy, and the Moral Life"

#MEHU #HKUMed #HKU #Research #ECS

[HKU Centre for Medical Ethics & Law @HKUCMEL]

Medical law & ethics updates in our latest newsletter: https://t.co/Xk8nyiJQj4

#medicalnegligence #informedconsent #mentalhealth #criminaldefence #organdonation #endoflifecare #healthdata #medicalethics #medicallaw

@HkuLaw @hkumed @hku_mehu

[HKU Centre for Medical Ethics & Law @HKUCMEL]

Medical law & ethics updates in our latest newsletter: https://t.co/Xk8nyiJQj4

#medicalnegligence #informedconsent #mentalhealth #criminaldefence #organdonation #endoflifecare #healthdata #medicalethics #medicallaw

@HkuLaw @hkumed @hku_mehu

[HKU-Medical Ethics & Humanities Unit (MEHU) @hku_mehu]

Dr Zohar Lederman, together with colleagues from @HKUMed_EM, The University of Hong Kong Libraries, and two #MBBS students, Arthur Liu & Serena Yu, recently published a paper in @BMJ_Open.

The paper presents a protocol for an AI-facilitated scoping review that maps the existing evidence on the reasons for which lonely or socially isolated individuals are more likely to visit the Emergency Department (ED) or make repeat visits to the ED, the impact of the ED on patients experiencing loneliness and social isolation as well as the perspectives of ED clinical staff and patients on the ED’s role in managing these patients.

Read the article here:
Chan WL, Gao Z, Chuxi AL, et al Loneliness and social isolation at the emergency department: a scoping review protocol. BMJ Open 2026;16:e108972.
https://t.co/iNBExMBvFF
(Open access)

@HKUCMEL @hkumed

#Loneliness #SocialIsolation #ScopingReview

[HKU-Medical Ethics & Humanities Unit (MEHU) @hku_mehu]

On 23 May 2026, the Centre for Medical Ethics and Law (CMEL) organized a symposium on medically assisted dying, with the Medical Ethics and Humanities Unit (MEHU) serving as the supporting unit. Our members actively contributed by presenting and moderating sessions throughout the event.

Medically assisted dying is an important yet highly controversial issue. Through this symposium, we had the opportunity to learn from overseas, mainland China, and local speakers, who shared diverse experiences across the cultural, ideological, legal, and political landscapes of medically assisted dying.

This symposium provided a valuable platform for dialogue, fostering deeper understanding of a complex and significant ethical issue in contemporary healthcare.

Speakers (in alphabetical order by last names)
1. Prof Duan-Rung Chen, National Taiwan University @NTU_TW
2. Prof Mark Cherry, St Edward's University
3. Ms Daisy Cheung @daisytmcheung, The University of Edinburgh @uniofedinburgh
4. Prof Emmanuel Cheung, #CCMU, @hku_mehu & @HKUCMEL
5. Prof Ruiping Fan, City University of Hong Kong @CityUHongKong
6. Prof Chris Gastmans, KU Leuven @CBMER_KULeuven
7. Prof Mohammed Ghaly @IBioethics, Hamad Bin Khalifa University @HBKU’s @CILE_Center
8. Prof Ana Iltis, Wake Forest University @WakeForest
9. Dr Md Sanwar SIRAJ @SanwarSiraj @HKUCMEL & @hku_mehu
10. Dr Simon Walker, University of Otago
11. Prof Jue Wang, Xi'an Jiaotong University @xjtuofficial
12. Prof Ben White @BenPWhite, QUT (Queensland University of Technology) @HealthLawQUT
13. Prof Ellen Y. Zhang, University of Macau @UM_1981

Chairs (in alphabetical order by last names):
- Prof Carl Hildebrand @CarlHbrand @hku_mehu & @HKUCMEL
- Prof Eric Ip, @HKUCMEL, @HkuLaw & @hkumed
- Prof Gilberto Leung @leung_gilbert, @HKUCMEL, @HkuLaw & @hkumed

@HKUCMEL @HkuLaw @hkumed @hku_mehu @HKUniversity #HKAM

#AssistedDying #Autonomy #EndOfLife #MedicalEthics #MedicalLaw

[HKU-Medical Ethics & Humanities Unit (MEHU) @hku_mehu]

Publication alert 📢

Bioethicist Dr Zohar Lederman has just published a new article in JME Practical Bioethics. In this piece, he argues that the Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) outbreak in Rwanda — together with some aspects of the response — revealed ways in which several One Health (OH) ethical principles were not adequately implemented.

Read his article here:
Lederman Z. The Marburg outbreak in Rwanda: a One Health success story?. JME Practical Bioethics. 2026;2:e000094. https://t.co/HexWKrQsIp (Open access)

@HKUCMEL @hkumed

#OneHealth #OH #OHEthics #Bioethics #Rwanda #Sustainability

[HKU-Medical Ethics & Humanities Unit (MEHU) @hku_mehu]

‘Mixed Medicine: Plural Healing Cultures’ symposium was successfully held on 28-29 May 2026. The symposium brought together scholars to explore diverse perspectives on medicine and history. Their varied disciplines and research interests broadened and enriched the discussions.

We extend our sincere thanks to our keynote speaker, as well as all panelists, moderators, and participants, for making this dialogue so engaging.

Keynote Speaker:
Prof Clara Bik-San Lau, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy @HkuPharm & School of Chinese Medicine, HKUMed

Speakers/ Moderators (In alphabetical order of surnames):
📌Dr Kelvin CHAN @kelvinc_cck, Hong Kong Baptist University @hkbaptistu
📌Prof Emmanuel CHEUNG, #CCMU, @hku_mehu & @HKUCMEL
📌Mr Ivan FAN, HKU
📌Prof Carl HILDEBRAND @CarlHbrand @hku_mehu & @HKUCMEL
📌Dr Pauline LUK @hku_mehu & #BIMHSE
📌Dr Andrew PARK @HKU_SPH
📌Ms Zhaohe SHI @HKUgeography
📌Dr Ria SINHA @ria_sinha @hku_mehu & @HKUCMEL
📌Dr Md. Sanwar SIRAJ @SanwarSiraj @hku_mehu &
@HKUCMEL
📌Dr Alison SO @History_HKU
📌Ms Xiaofan SUN @hku_mehu
📌Dr Bobby TAM @History_HKU
📌Ms Cecilia TAM @HKU_SPH
📌Dr Carol TSANG @History_HKU
📌Ms Lory Shiu Tze WONG, Department of Comparative Literature, HKU
📌Dr Jingjing ZHOU @HKU_SPH

Organizers:
@hku_mehu, @hkumed
@History_HKU

Supporting organization:
@HKUCMEL, @HkuLaw & @hkumed

@HKUniversity

#MixedMedicine #Medicine #WesternMedicine #ChineseMedicine #TCM #HistoryOfMedicine #History #Interdisciplinary #Cultures

[Monash Health Law @MonashHealthLaw]

Rethinking the Duality of Autonomy and Paternalism in a Rights-based Approach to the Regulation of Agentic #AI in Healthcare

@CalvinWLHo

@StanfordLaw School, 27 May 2026

with @HankGreelyLSJU, @WaltGJohnson, and @CMcGovern_
#HealthLaw @MonashLawSchool

[HKU Centre for Medical Ethics & Law @HKUCMEL]

@HkuLaw @hkumed @HKUMed_EM @hku_mehu @HKUniversity @AnthroCuhk

[HKU Centre for Medical Ethics & Law @HKUCMEL]

Register NOW to join our discussion on 2 Jun about the #ethics of "slow codes", which are sub-optimal resuscitative efforts. This practice is controversial.

"Author Meets Critics: Re-considering the Ethics of Slow Codes"
#resuscitation #family #endoflife
https://t.co/8Tm3iEySmR