II All-Russian Conference with International Participation “Bioethics and Global Social Transformations” under the Auspices of UNESCO
On June 27–28, the city of Yaroslavl hosted the II All-Russian Conference with International Participation “Bioethics and Global Social Transformations”, held under the auspices of UNESCO, a specialized UN agency promoting international cooperation in the fields of education, science, and culture. The conference featured more than 80 presentations and registered over 1,000 participants.
The goal of the conference was to offer solutions to theoretical and practical bioethical issues that support the conduct of innovative scientific research and the achievement of technological sovereignty. Scientists from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Brazil, India, China, Nepal, the UAE, and South Africa discussed ethical challenges related to the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into healthcare, education, and research practices.
During the plenary session, participants were welcomed by representatives of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, the Department for Multilateral Humanitarian Cooperation and Cultural Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, the Government of Yaroslavl Region, the Association of Participants in the Circulation of Medicines and Medical Devices, the Russian Orthodox Church, and others.
“Today we are discussing many important issues of interest to the scientific community — among them artificial intelligence (AI), neurotechnologies, biosynthetic biology, and new pharmaceutical developments. It is, of course, crucial to consider the ethical issues and risks arising from the rapid advancement of technologies,” emphasized Professor A.L. Khokhlov, Rector of Yaroslavl State Medical University, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
The main discussion platforms were devoted to the following topics:
- Ethical issues in the implementation of neurotechnologies
- Ethical aspects of applying artificial intelligence and mobile technologies in research practice
- Regulation of drug and medical device circulation
- Bioethical issues in social discourse
- Ethical concerns in genetics, synthetic biology, and the bioeconomy
A seminar for clinical pharmacologists titled “July Dew” was also held during the conference.
Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University was represented by the presentation “Digital Transformation of Healthcare for People Over 60: Bioethical and Practical Aspects”, prepared by Professor S.T. Turuspekova, Head of the Department of Nervous Diseases, and PhD Assistant Professor R.T. Tsoy. The presentation generated strong interest and sparked a lively discussion.
Dr. O.A. Vysternichan, Associate Professor of the Department of Internal Medicine at Karaganda Medical University and Chair of the Local Bioethics Committee of KMU, also participated with the presentation “Challenges of Ethical Review in Research Projects: Are Compromises Possible?”
A particularly noteworthy contribution came from E.V. Bryzgalina, Head of the Department of Philosophy of Education and Director of the Master’s Program in Bioethics at Lomonosov Moscow State University, who presented a talk titled “Research Ethics in Biomedicine in the Context of Technological Advancements.” The speaker highlighted one of the key risks associated with AI-generated scientific results — so-called “evidence hacking,” which refers to the use of fabricated research data to strategically manipulate public opinion or scientific consensus. AI-generated articles on non-existent research are now nearly indistinguishable from genuine scientific publications.
Bryzgalina emphasized that AI in biomedical research can generate datasets tailored to produce any pre-set result — complete with names, ages, and biomarker distributions. These emerging challenges — particularly those associated with neurotechnologies and AI — raise numerous serious ethical concerns. According to her, the core condition for upholding ethical principles in science is scientific integrity, rooted in personal responsibility and self-regulation.
In response to these new challenges and emerging tasks in the realm of scientific and technological development, the Russian Academy of Sciences has established a Council on Research Ethics under its Presidium.
