Technologies to improve human performance raise ethical concerns

Dr Y. J. Erden and Philip Brey recently published a set of ethical guidelines for human enhancement research and development. Their guidelines were published in the scientific journal Science and included in a guidance document of the European Commission. "It is most important that a person using technologies and treatment to enhance their skills must not limit their ability and freedom to make their own choices", says Erden. Human enhancements are a broad range of interventions, drugs, treatments and other technologies that aim to improve human beings beyond what is considered typical. Enhancement seems to fall outside the scope of medical interventions, which aim to restore a person's condition to 'healthy'. Philip Brey: "Until now, there have been no systematic means for implementing ethical oversight of research and development directed at human enhancement." Human enhancements are aimed at improving humans beyond what is considered normal or typical.