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On March 30, winner of the 2002 Nobel Prize in Medicine, member of the UK Royal Society, Director of the Institute for Science, Ethics and Innovation at The University of Manchester's Faculty of Life Sciences, paid a visit to Tsinghua University and gave a public lecture entitled 'Who Owns Science?' SPPM Dean and Director of the China Institute for Science and Technology Policy Professor Xue Lan chaired the lecture which was attended by nearly 70 students and teachers from various departments.
In his speech Prof. Sulston focused on ethics and innovation as important areas for scientific research. He asked what is scientific knowledge if it is only for the sake of windfall profits? A balanced approach was what was necessary. He cited the example of genetic testing, how personal information could be abused and the social responsibility of doctors and scientists. This raises many questions over about privacy and human rights.
The professor also talked about global medicine and health care and compared policy initiatives in different countries. In poor countries neglected diseases are rife, and in all countries sufferers from rare diseases are disadvantaged, because most research and development is resourced by investment aimed at maximizing financial return. He argued that new funding mechanisms are needed to ensure that everyone benefits from advances in knowledge and why it was necessary to implement a 'globalization of justice' and to 'tame the free market' to ensure there is equal distribution of medical and scientific resources. Prof. Sulston’s speech was well received and was followed by much lively discussions.
