Hard Choices: Ethics in Modern Oncology

The Cancer Bioethics Consortium, in collaboration with the MSK Ethics Committee, presents this complimentary virtual conference designed for professionals across the oncology spectrum to explore the ethical complexities of cancer care and research.

The Cancer Bioethics Consortium (CBC) is a newly-created organization of healthcare professionals who work in the fields of oncology and bioethics in the United States. CBC is dedicated to promoting greater awareness, understanding, and collaboration around the ethical issues that permeate oncology practice and research.

The one-day virtual conference, Hard Choices: Ethics in Modern Oncology, convenes nationally recognized experts in oncology and bioethics, representing clinical, academic, administrative, legal, and governmental perspectives. The curriculum focuses on timely and emerging ethical challenges in oncology care and research through the lenses of bioethics, policy, and regulations. Rather than addressing clinical practice directly, the event will center on the less tangible, but equally vital, elements of care. Each session — including those focused on Cell and Gene Therapies, Tissue Acquisition and Bio Banking, and the Drug Shortages Panel — has been carefully designed to maintain a non-clinical perspective. Attendees can expect thoughtful discussions that do not offer guidance or recommendations regarding clinical management, treatment options, medical procedures, or therapeutic decision-making. The conference will emphasize broader ethical and policy issues shaping the field, distinguishing the conference from forums centered on direct patient care.

This conference is intended for both clinicians and non-clinicians seeking to better understand the ethical issues that shape oncology practice and research.

The program will be held live virtually via Zoom. All times listed on the schedule are Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). Detailed access instructions will be provided in advance of the program. Following the conclusion of the program, participants will receive access to an online syllabus, which will include PDF copies of the faculty presentations.

1. Identify major ethical conundrums related to the field of oncology
2. Strengthen systematic processes or analytic tools for the early identification of common ethical challenges faced during the delivery of oncology care and research
3. Apply strategies to mitigate or resolve ethical challenges in cancer care and research

This conference is complimentary for all participants. Please select the Registration tab above and complete the form to confirm your attendance.

If you experience any difficulties during registering, or if you are registered and unable to attend, please email, [email protected] for assistance. For additional details on our cancellation terms, please review our Cancellation Policy.

"Industry professionals" are welcome to attend Continuing Medical Education events at MSK for their own educational purposes. View our Registration Policy for Industry Professionals for more information.

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

AMA Credit Designation Statement

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center designates this live activity for a maximum of 6.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

ABIM MOC Recognition Statement

Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 6.75 Medical Knowledge MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. Participants will earn MOC points equivalent to the amount of CME credits claimed for the activity. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABIM MOC credit.

ANCC CNE Statement

Application currently under review.

New York State Social Work

Application currently under review.

Conference Director

Louis Voigt, MD, MBE, HEC-C
Chair, Ethics Committee
Attending Physician, Department of Anesthesiology, Pain & Critical Care Medicine
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Conference Planning Committee 

Gregory A. Abel, MD, MPH
Professor of Medicine
Harvard Medical School

Liz Blackler, MBE, HEC-C, LCSW-R
Associate Director, Ethics Committee
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

MaryEliza McEachen, RN, CPHON®
Clinical Nurse Manager, MSK Kids
Clinical Ethics Consultant
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Jonathan M. Marron, MD, MPH, HEC-C
Director of Clinical Ethics, Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics
Attending Physician, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School
Clinical Ethicist, Boston Children’s Hospital

Claire Murray
Specialist, Ethics Committee
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Nico Nortjé, PhD, MA, MPhil, HEC-C
Executive Director, Center for Clinical Ethics in Cancer Care
Associate Professor, Department of Critical Care Medicine
Director of Goal Concordant Care & End-of-Life
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Connie M. Ulrich, PhD, MSN, RN, FAAN
Lillian S. Brunner Chair
Professor of Nursing and Medical Ethics and Health Policy
University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing; Perelman School of Medicine

Amy Scharf, MBE, HEC-C
Project Coordinator, Office of the Chief Physician Executive
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Christine Wilkins, PhD, LCSW
Director, Department of Social Work
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Conference Faculty

Ghassan Abou-Alfa, MD, JD, MBA, PhD (hc)
Attending Physician, Gastrointestinal Oncology Service 
Department of Medicine
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Eric Blackstone, PhD, HEC-C
Postdoctoral Bioethics Research Fellow
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Rena M. Conti, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Markets Public Policy and Law
Questrom School of Business
Boston University

Christine Grady, MSN, PhD

Steven Joffe, MD, MPH
Chair, Department of Medical Ethics & Health Policy
Art and Ilene Penn Professor of Medical Ethics & Health Policy
Professor of Pediatrics
University of Pennsylvania 
Perelman School of Medicine

Liza-Marie Johnson, MD
Associate Member, St. Jude Faculty
Director, The Bioethics Program
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Martha F. Jones, MA, CIP
Vice President, Human Research Affairs
Mass General Brigham

Jennifer Miller, PhD
Associate Professor of Medicine
Yale Liaison, Working Group on: Bioethics of Data Science, Artificial Intelligence (AI) 
and Genomics Implementation Science Curriculum
Yale School of Medicine

Amitabha Palmer, PhD, HEC-C
Assistant Professor
Department of Clinical Ethics
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Leonard Saltz, MD
Executive Director, Clinical Value & Sustainability
Head, Colorectal Oncology Section
Attending Physician, Gastrointestinal Oncology Service
Department of Medicine
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Andrew Shuman, MD, FACS, HEC-C
Professor, Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery
Chief, Clinical Ethics Service for Michigan Bioethics
University of Michigan Medical School

Yoram Unguru, MD, MS, MA, HEC-C
Attending Physician, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
The Herman and Walter Samuelson Children’s 
Hospital at Sinai

Selwyn Vickers, MD, FACS
President and CEO
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Special Guests 

Lauren Maurillo
Caregiver

Sydney Towle
Patient

Mitigation of Relevant Financial Relationships

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center adheres to the ACCME’s Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education.  In accordance with the ACCME's Standards, identification, mitigation and/or disclosure of financial relationships is needed for non-clinical accredited education. The content of this activity is not clinical.