Bioethics for Breakfast

About the Series

In 2010, Hall, Render, Killian, Heath & Lyman invited the Center for Bioethics and Social Justice to partner on a bioethics seminar series. The Center and Hall Render invite guests from the health professions, religious and community organizations, political circles, and the academy to engage in lively discussions of topics spanning the worlds of bioethics, health law, business, and policy. For each event, the Center selects from a wide range of controversial issues and provides two presenters either from our own faculty or invited guests, who offer distinctive, and sometimes clashing, perspectives. Those brief presentations are followed by a moderated open discussion.

Bioethics for Breakfast Archive

The next pandemic is coming: neglected lessons from COVID-19

  • October 17, 2023
  • Event Summary
  • View Recording
  • B. Keith English, MD, Chair and Professor, Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine.
  • Heatherlun Uphold, PhD, Assistant Professor, Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health, Department of Translational Neuroscience, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine.

Medical Legal Partnerships: A Tool to Help Address the Social Determinants of Health

  • December 1, 2022
  • Event Summary
  • Megan Hoberg, Staff Attorney, Legal Aid of Western Michigan.
  • Pamela Hoekwater, Executive Director, Legal Aid of Western Michigan.

Demystifying End-of-Life Care

  • October 13, 2022
  • Event Summary
  • View Recording
  • Leonard M. Fleck, PhD, Professor, Center for Bioethics and Social Justice, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine; Department of Philosophy.
  • Karen Smith, LMSW, PhD, HEC-C, Director of Ethics Integration, Henry Ford Health.

Aducanumab, Alzheimer’s: Having That Conversation

  • March 24, 2022
  • Event Summary
  • View Recording
  • Leonard M. Fleck, PhD, Professor, Center for Bioethics and Social Justice, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine; Department of Philosophy.
  • Irving E. Vega, PhD, Associate Professor of Translational Neuroscience, Department of Translational Neuroscience, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine.

Social Determinants of Elders’ Health

  • December 2, 2021
  • Event Summary
  • View Recording
  • Anne K. Hughes, PhD, MSW, Director and Associate Professor, School of Social Work, Michigan State University College of Social Science.
  • Dawn Opel, JD, PhD, Director of Research and Strategic Initiatives, General Counsel, Food Bank Council of Michigan.

Caring with and for undocumented physicians and patients

  • April 22, 2021
  • Event Summary
  • Mark G. Kuczewski, PhD, Fr. Michael I. English, S.J., Professor of Medical Ethics, and Director, Neiswanger Institute for Bioethics, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.

Mental Health Care Access: Making the Dollars and “Common Sense” Case for Parity

  • February 25, 2021
  • Event Summary
  • Malkia Newman, Anti‑Stigma Team Supervisor, CNS Healthcare.
  • Debra A. Pinals, MD, Medical Director of Behavioral Health and Forensic Programs, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services; Director, Program in Psychiatry, Law, & Ethics, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical School; Clinical Adjunct Professor, University of Michigan Law School.

Health Reform Unmentionables: Long-Term Care

  • December 10, 2020
  • Event Summary
  • Anne Montgomery, Co-Director, Altarum Program to Improve Eldercare.
  • Sarah Slocum, Co-Director, Altarum Program to Improve Eldercare.

Health Care Deserts: What is Happening in Rural America?

  • October 8, 2020
  • Event Summary
  • Steve Barnett, DHA, CRNA, FACHE, President & CEO, McKenzie Health System.
  • Kelly Hirko, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine.

Health Reform: Can Pharmaceutical Cost Control be Achieved Ethically with Surgical Precision?

  • February 6, 2020
  • Event Summary
  • Paula Cunningham, State Director, AARP Michigan.
  • Craig Hunter, Director of Specialty Program Outcomes and Analytics, CVS Health.

Our Sick Health Care System: What’s the Differential Diagnosis?

  • December 5, 2019
  • Event Summary
  • Laura Appel, Senior Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer, Michigan Health & Hospital Association.
  • Marti Lolli, Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President of Consumer and Government Markets, Priority Health.

Medicare for All: What Should That Mean?

  • September 26, 2019
  • Event Summary
  • Stacey Hettiger, Director of Medical and Regulatory Policy, Michigan State Medical Society.
  • Rick Murdock, Consultant, Michigan Association of Health Plans Foundation.

Fitness, Frailty, and the Challenges of Successful Aging

  • April 25, 2019
  • Event Summary
  • Francis Komara, DO, Professor, Department of Family and Community Medicine; Director, Geriatric Fellowship Program, Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine.
  • Scott Wamsley, Deputy Director, Aging & Adult Services Agency, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

Just Caring for All Michigan Mothers: Addressing Maternal Mortality in the Childbearing Year

  • February 21, 2019
  • Event Summary
  • Renée Canady, PhD, MPA, Chief Executive Officer, Michigan Public Health Institute; Assistant Professor, Division of Public Health, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine.
  • Cheryl Larry-Osman, RN, MS, CNM, Perinatal Clinical Nurse Specialist, Henry Ford Hospital.

Biobanking Tissue: Trash or Treasure?

  • December 6, 2018
  • Event Summary
  • Jennifer Carter-Johnson, PhD, JD, Associate Professor of Law, Michigan State University College of Law.
  • Tom Tomlinson, PhD, Professor, Center for Ethics and Humanities in the Life Sciences and Department of Philosophy, Michigan State University.

Values at the End of Life: The Logic of Palliative Care

  • October 4, 2018
  • Event Summary
  • Roi Livne, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Michigan.
  • Leonard Fleck, PhD, Acting Director and Professor, Center for Ethics and Humanities in the Life Sciences; Professor, Department of Philosophy, Michigan State University.

Health Care Consolidations: Good News, Bad News, Fake News?

  • May 10, 2018
  • Event Summary
  • John Goddeeris, PhD, Professor of Economics, Department of Economics, College of Social Science, Michigan State University.
  • Michael Herbert, Chief Executive Officer, MSU HealthTeam.

Medicaid Work Requirements: Blood, Sweat and Tears Too?

  • February 8, 2018
  • Event Summary
  • Adrianne Haggins, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School.
  • Leonard Fleck, PhD, Professor, Center for Ethics and Humanities in the Life Sciences and Department of Philosophy, Michigan State University.

Autism Spectrum Disorder: Fair Sharing of the Therapeutic Pie?

  • November 30, 2017
  • Event Summary
  • Jeanette M. Scheid, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Michigan State University.
  • Connie Sung, PhD, Assistant Professor of Rehabilitation Counseling, Co-Director of Spartan Project SEARCH, Michigan State University.

Charlie Gard and Solomon’s Dilemma: What are the limits of parental medical decision making?

  • September 28, 2017
  • Event Summary
  • Honorable Laura Baird, JD, Judge, Ingham County Circuit Court.
  • Marleen Eijkholt, JD, PhD, Assistant Professor, Center for Ethics and Humanities in the Life Sciences and Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine; Clinical Ethics Consultant, Spectrum Health System.

Treating Pain Without Feeding Addiction: Is There a Goldilocks Solution?

  • April 20, 2017
  • Event Summary
  • Forrest Pasanski, JD, Regulation Section Manager, Drug Monitoring Section for State of Michigan, Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Professional Licensing.
  • Steven Roskos, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine.

The Future of Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act: Ethical and Policy Challenges

  • February 2, 2017
  • Event Summary
  • Steve Fitton, Principal, Health Management Associates.
  • Jane Turner, MD, Professor, Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine.

Advanced Dementia and the ICU Siren’s Song: When We Build It, Why Do They Come?

  • December 8, 2016
  • Event Summary
  • Kevin Foley, MD, FACP, AGSF, Associate Professor and Associate Chair for Senior Health, Department of Family Medicine, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine; Director of Education and Clinical Operations, Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Michigan State University Clinical Center.
  • Leonard M. Fleck, PhD, Professor of Philosophy and Medical Ethics, Center for Ethics and Humanities in the Life Sciences, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine.

Compassionate Use: What Is in a Name?

  • November 17, 2016
  • Event Summary
  • Anas Al-Janadi, MD, Associate Professor and Section Chief, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine.
  • Jennifer Carter-Johnson, JD, PhD, Associate Professor of Law, College of Law, Michigan State University.

Eye on the Prize: The Goal of Protecting College Football Players’ Best Interests

  • May 12, 2016
  • Event Summary
  • Leonard Fleck, PhD, Professor, Center for Ethics and Humanities in the Life Sciences, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine.
  • Randy Pearson, MD, FAAFP, FACSM, Professor, Department of Family Medicine, College of Human Medicine; Senior Associate Director, Sparrow/MSU Family Medicine Residency; Associate Director, MSU/Sparrow Sports Medicine Fellowship; Assistant Dean for Graduate Medical Education, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine.

A Snip Here and a Tuck There: Are There Limits to Editing Life?

  • February 18, 2016
  • Event Summary
  • Sean A. Valles, PhD, Assistant Professor, Lyman Briggs College and Department of Philosophy, Michigan State University.
  • Corey Washington, PhD, Director of Analytics and Strategic Projects, Office of the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies, Michigan State University.

Direct-to-Consumer Healthcare: “Disrupting” Consent

  • December 3, 2015
  • Event Summary
  • Jim Dearing, PhD, Professor and Chairperson, Department of Communication, Michigan State University.
  • Kayte Spector-Bagdady, JD, M.Bioethics, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Center for Bioethics & Social Sciences in Medicine, University of Michigan.

Is it just the money? Reimbursement for Advance Care Planning

  • October 8, 2015
  • Event Summary
  • Rose Seavolt, BSN, RN, CCP, Advance Care Planning Coordinator and Next Steps Organizational Faculty for Spectrum Health System, Grand Rapids.

Boundaries: Do Public Health Interests Trump Individual Parent Prerogatives?

  • May 14, 2015
  • Event Summary
  • Dean G. Sienko, MD, MS, Associate Dean for Prevention and Public Health, Division Director of the Division of Public Health, and Acting Director of the Institute for Health Policy, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine.
  • Mark Largent, PhD, Associate Dean, Lyman Briggs College, Michigan State University.

Is Sterilization for Developmentally Disabled Girls Ever Justified?

  • February 12, 2015
  • Event Summary
  • Tom Tomlinson, PhD, Director of the Center for Ethics and Humanities in the Life Sciences, Professor in the Department of Philosophy, Michigan State University.
  • Elmer L. Cerano, Executive Director of Michigan Protection and Advocacy Service, Inc.

Fear and Loathing: Ethical and Effective State Responses to Ebola

  • December 4, 2014
  • Event Summary
  • Matthew M. Davis, MD, MAPP, Chief Medical Executive at the Michigan Department of Community Health; Professor of Pediatrics and Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School, and Professor of Public Policy at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan.
  • Leonard Fleck, PhD, Professor in the Philosophy Department and the Center for Ethics and Humanities in the Life Sciences at Michigan State University.

Mother, Midwife, Doctor, State: What to Do About Place of Birth?

  • October 2, 2014
  • Event Summary
  • Deborah Fisch, JD, Affiliate with the University of Michigan Program for Sexual Rights and Reproductive Justice, the Friends of Michigan Midwives and Coalition to License CPMs, and the Birth Rights Bar Association.
  • Nancy Herta, MD, Assistant Professor of OB/GYN at Michigan State University.

Legalizing Physician-Assisted Death: Should Michigan Be Next?

  • May 8, 2014
  • Event Summary
  • Tom Tomlinson, PhD, Director of the Center for Ethics and Humanities in the Life Sciences, Professor in the Department of Philosophy, Michigan State University.
  • Ed Rivet, MPA, Legislative Director for Right to Life of Michigan.

ACOs: Are They New or Just HMOs in Sheep’s Clothing?

  • February 20, 2014
  • Event Summary
  • Janet Olszewski, MSW, Principal of Health Management Associates.
  • Ann Mongoven, PhD, assistant professor in the Center for Ethics and Humanities in the Life Sciences and Department of Pediatrics, Michigan State University.

Controlling Medicare Costs: What Are the Options? What Is Fair?

  • November 21, 2013
  • Event Summary
  • Leonard Fleck, PhD, Professor of Philosophy and Medical Ethics, Philosophy Department and Center for Ethics and Humanities in the Life Sciences, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University.
  • Tom Marks is a principal from the Lansing, Michigan office of Health Management Associates.

Partial Codes: Is Something Better than Nothing?

  • September 19, 2013
  • Event Summary
  • Tom Tomlinson, PhD, Director, Professor of Philosophy and Medical Ethics, Philosophy Department and Center for Ethics and Humanities in the Life Sciences, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University.
  • Courtenay Beattie, Nurse Manager, Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, Sparrow Hospital.

Is There Anything Patients and Families Don’t Need to Know?

  • May 9, 2013
  • Event Summary
  • Tom Tomlinson, PhD, Director, Professor of Philosophy and Medical Ethics, Philosophy Department and Center for Ethics and Humanities in the Life Sciences, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University.
  • Saniya Khan, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Osteopathic Medical Specialties, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Michigan State University.

Motivating Goodness or Exploiting the Vulnerable? Financial Incentives for Organ Donation

  • January 24, 2013
  • Luis Tomatis, MD, Founding President, Van Andel Research Institute in Grand Rapids; Director of Medical Affairs, Richard M. DeVos Family.
  • Monir Moniruzzaman, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology and Center for Ethics and Humanities in the Life Sciences, Michigan State University.

Carrots and Sticks: What's at Stake in Worksite Wellness Initiatives?

  • November 1, 2012
  • Howard Weyers, President, Health & Benefit Strategy.
  • Douglas Olsen, PhD, RN, Associate Professor, College of Nursing, Michigan State University.

Pluralism and Health Care Benefits Bump into the First Amendment: What’s a Democracy to Do?

  • March 15, 2012
  • Gene Burns, PhD, Professor, Sociology, James Madison College, Michigan State University.
  • Alain Durocher, PhD, Ethicist, St. John Providence Health System.

Supporting Patient Choice in Health Care Reform: Perfected Informed Consent or Invitation for Litigation?

  • January 19, 2012
  • Norris Cunningham, JD, Shareholder, Hall, Render, Killian, Health & Lyman P.C.
  • Margaret Holmes-Rovner, PhD, Professor, Health Services Research, Center for Ethics and Humanities in the Life Sciences, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University.

Whose Pleasure? Whose Poison? Whose Purse? The Ethical Challenges of Personal Responsibility for Health

  • November 10, 2011
  • James Clarkson, MD, Plastic Surgeon, Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University.
  • Leonard Fleck, PhD, Professor of Philosophy and Medical Ethics, Philosophy Department and Center for Ethics and Humanities in the Life Sciences, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University.

Controlling Medicaid Costs: Which Priorities? Whose priorities? What Process?

  • May 12, 2011
  • Steve Fitton, Senior Deputy Director, Medical Services Administration, Michigan Department of Community Health.
  • M. Carmen Meerschaert, MD, MBHL, Associate Professor of Medicine, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University.

Practicing Under the Influence: What’s One too Many?

  • January 27, 2011
  • Tom Tomlinson, PhD, Director, Professor of Philosophy and Medical Ethics, Philosophy Department and Center for Ethics and Humanities in the Life Sciences, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University.
  • Andrew Zwyghuizen, MD, Plastic Surgeon and Professor of Surgery, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University.

Pricing Human Life: Health Reform and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis

  • November 18, 2010
  • Leonard Fleck, PhD, Professor of Philosophy and Medical Ethics, Philosophy Department and Center for Ethics and Humanities in the Life Sciences, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University.
  • Kenneth Schwartz, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Michigan State University.
  • Jennifer Girod, JD, PhD, Attorney at Hall, Render, Killian, Heath & Lyman.