Françoise Baylis

Françoise Baylis, CM, ONS, PhD is a philosopher whose innovative work in bioethics, at the intersection of policy and practice, challenges us to think broadly and deeply about the direction of health, science and biotechnology. Through her academic and advocacy work she aims to move the limits of mainstream bioethics and develop more effective ways to understand and tackle public policy challenges.
A public voice for the common good, Baylis brings her ethical sensibilities, informed by best practices, theory and common sense, to a wide range of public issues. She is a frequent guest on CBC and Radio Canada and the author of many news stories with a “behind the scenes” look at ethical issues. Her current research focuses on heritable human genome modification, the body economy, assisted human reproduction, and research involving women. With a personal mantra to “make the powerful care,” Baylis contributes to policy-making via government research contracts, committee membership and public education. This work –informed by an unwavering commitment to the common good – focuses largely on issues of social justice.
Françoise Baylis is University Research Professor at Dalhousie University. She is a member of the Order of Canada and the Order of Nova Scotia, as well as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. In 2017 she was awarded the Canadian Bioethics Society Lifetime Achievement Award. 

Declaration of interests

Professor Baylis has given public lectures on this topic, been a rapporteur at a meeting on the subject, reviewed and written about it.