This page was last updated 12 September 2008.

ABA Membership is open to all who share the goals of developing cross-cultural and international bioethics in their region of the world. 2008 and 2009 membership renewals and enquiries to:
Secretariat:
Darryl R.J. Macer, Ph.D.,
c/o RUSHSAP, UNESCO Bangkok,
920 Sukhumwit Road,
Prakanong, Bangkok
Thailand 10110
Tel: +662-3910682
Fax: +662-664-3772
Email: asianbioethics@yahoo.co.nz

Ninth Asian Bioethics Conference (ABC9): Healthy and productive life in harmony with nature, 3-7 November, 2008, Jogyakarta, Indonesia.Ê
Hosts: Indonesian National Bioethics Commission.
Draft programme as a pdf file

Preliminary Call for Papers Research findings, discussion papers, and other contributions dealing with topics in bioethics and related disciplines are welcomed. This event will be organized by the ABA and Indonesian National Bioethics Commission, with the cooperation of UNESCO, WHO, and FAO. The local cooperating bodies and agencies will include industries, universities, and NGOs.
There are currently planned to be plenary sessions for 5 days on topics including: Bioethics and Global Policy; Bioethics in Science and Technology Development; Bioethics and inclusion of moral agents; Enhancement and Neuroethics; Descriptive Bioethics Research; Public health ethics; Stored Samples and Patients Informational Self Determination; Health and Bioethics; Protection of Women and Vulnerable Persons; Organ Transplant Ethics; Regulating Organ Transplantation; Ethics, Energy and Environment; Environmental Ethics; Ethics of using animals; Agriculture and Ethics; The Implementation of ELSI Policy in Biobank Development and Ethical Governance of Innovative Medical Research; Ethics and biotechnology; and Disasters; Bioethics Education; Islamic Bioethics; Comparative Religious Ethics on Life and Death; Ethical and Legal Aspects of Xenotransplantation; Ethics Review Committees; Health and Ethics; Medical Ethics Education; Medical Genetics and Ethics; Nurturing Bioethics: Education; Bioethics, Human Rights, Science and Technology, and Alleviation of Poverty in the World. There will also be open meetings of several working groups in the UNESCO Project on Ethics of Energy Technologies. Research findings, discussion papers, and other contributions dealing with topics in bioethics and related disciplines are welcomed.

Registration and ABA membership fee
The registration fee for members of the Asian Bioethics Association USD50; and for non-member USD100.
i.e. those who have paid their membership fee for 2008 and are members of ABA will receive half price registration for ABC9.
If you have not been a member in 2008, ABA will offer you the chance to become a member of ABA for both 2008 and 2009 at discount when combining registration for the conference: Instead of USD50 x 3 =USD150 (2008, 2009 fees and reduced registration fee), the package will be charged at USD135 payable by credit card to ABA secretariat. The form is available in the pdf file version of this issue, or as a printed form (please download here).

Venue
The Ninth Asian Bioethics Conference, 3-7 November 2008 ABC9 will be held at Hotel University Sunan Kalijaga, Yogyakarta. This hotel compound, a former Training Center of the University, is strategically located in Yogyakarta, 10 minutes from the International airport Adisucipto, 15 minutes from the railway station and bus terminal.

Accommodation
Hotel University Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta offers 3 (three) room types VIP (7 rooms), deluxe (7 rooms) and standard rooms (64 rooms), comfortable and modern. Hotel University Sunan Kalijaga has two meeting rooms with a capacity of 300 people and eight meeting rooms for 20-50 people; Internet service, restaurant, fitness center, and 24-hour service.
The postal address is: Hotel University Sunan Kalijaga, Jalan Anggrek 137 D, Sambilegi Kidul, Maguwoharjo, Sleman, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
The ABC9 Organizers have also negotiated a discounted room rate at a four-star hotel, close to the Venue: Grand Quality Hotel Yogyakarta
The room rates, terms and condition apply, are:
* Deluxe Rp 585.000 (USD 64)/night
* Executive Rp 747.000 (USD 82) /night
The current exchange rate is Rp 9.200 per 1 USD.

Reservation for accommodation is to be made early through the Organizer at Email: kbnindonesia@gmail.com, at the latest by mid-October 2008.

Transportation to and from the hotel to the venue of the conference will be provided by the Organizer. There are numerous historic sites including world heritage sites in the locality. Tours will be arranged.
All speakers are asked to register and confirm their attendance to the conference as early as possible and revised programs will be developed.

Preliminary deadline for receipt of abstracts for papers (200 words max)* and proposed sessions (with lists of speakers and titles) was 31 January 2008, to Email: amru96@cbn.net.idÊ Further submissions may be considered, in accordance with the sessions in the draft programme.
The specific objectives of the ABC9 are:
¥ to identify issues in the enforcement of law, rules and guidelines and other regulatory means of Ôgood research practiceÕ of basic and applied researches leading to quality health care involving human subjects in accordance with the universally accepted bioethical norms;
¥ to interpret and apply the precautionary approach; where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation; and
¥ to recognize and duly support the vital role in environmental management and development of local communities because of their knowledge and traditional practices.
This event will be organized by the ABA and Indonesian National Bioethics Commission, with the cooperation of UNESCO, WHO, and FAO. The local cooperating bodies and agencies will include industries, universities, and NGOs.
The updated information will be placed on the website: www.kbnindonesia.org
*Persons who wish to apply for limited scholarship support should also submit a letter of explanation and resume. The conference will also make judgments for the best student presentations.

The report of the general meeting held on 14 February 2004 is available.

Those attending the IAB7 World Congress of Bioethics in Australia met at the ABA General Meeting on 12 November, 2004. The new Board members present were introduced. Note that the Australasian Bioethics Association also uses the abbreviation ABA. All Board members, new and old, and members and observers were welcome at Board meetings.

Persons who want to confirm their membership of the ABA must send their completed membership form (pdf version can be downloaded) to the secretary, Darryl Macer, (by Email, fax or airmail).

Membership fees are payable at any time in the year, including at the time of renewal to EJAIB, the official journal of ABA. A three tier system exists for annual fees:

a) Regular price (US$50 Euro 50 Yen 5000).

This includes the EJAIB journal subscription and free associate membership of Eubios Ethics Institute.

b) Reduced contribution (the amount is up to the member, and is also suggested for students)

This includes the EJAIB journal subscription.

c) No fee, because the person is not in a position to pay the fee.

This does not include a hard copy of the EJAIB journal, but anyone can apply to Eubios Ethics Institute separately for a hard copy of the Journal, to be considered case by case.

For historical information see the East Asian Association of Bioethics which on 5 November, 1997, was broadened to a full Asian Bioethics Association at the UNESCO ABC in Kobe.

ABA Membership list

Persons who want to confirm their membership of the ABA must send their completed membership form and fees to the secretary if your name does not appear in the current list , Darryl Macer, (by Email, fax or airmail). The previous ABA membership list includes many who have not paid up for the previous year. Only those currently paid up persons on the current list will be eligible for voting in elections. Membership renewals are required each year. Please inform the secretary of any corrections to this list.

Persons who want to become a member of the ABA should send their details to the secretary, Darryl Macer (by E-mail: asianbioethics@yahoo.co.nz, fax or airmail). Those who say they are not in the position to pay the fees will not be barred from full membership of ABA.

Asian Bioethics Association Constitution

First printed in Eubios Journal of Asian and International Bioethics 8 (1998), 1-2. Next printed in Eubios Journal of Asian and International Bioethics 12 (2002), 159. Adopted constitution was printed in Eubios Journal of Asian and International Bioethics 12 (2002), 210-11.

Former Board Officers (2004-2006)

President: Sang-yong Song (South Korea)
Vice President for China: Xiaomei Zhai
Vice President for India: Jayapaul Azariah
Vice President for Japan: Noritoshi Tanida
Vice President for Korea: Un-Jong Pak
Vice President for West Asia (West of India): Sahin Aksoy (Turkey)
Vice-President for South Asia (East of India, excluding other named regions): Leonardo de Castro (Philippines)
Vice President for Asian Ethnic and Religious Minorities (e.g. Jews, Kurds, other ethnic groups or religious minorities): Frank Leavitt (Israel)
Secretary: Darryl Macer (New Zealand/Thailand/Japan)

In addition Hyakudai Sakamoto (Japan) is an honorary Board member as Founding President, as is the immediate past President, Qiu Renzong (China).

Past Officers (2002-2004)

President: Renzong Qiu (China)
Vice President for China: Xiaomei Zhai
Vice President for India: Jayapaul Azariah
Vice President for Japan: Noritoshi Tanida
Vice President for Korea: Sang-yong Song
Vice President for West Asia (West of India): Sahin Aksoy (Turkey)
Vice-President for South Asia (East of India, excluding other named regions): Leonardo de Castro (Philippines)
Vice President for Asian Ethnic and Religious Minorities (e.g. Jews, Kurds, other ethnic groups or religious minorities): Frank Leavitt (Israel)
Secretary: Darryl Macer (Japan/New Zealand)

To the Official Journal of ABA, EJAIB
The Eubios Ethics Institute is on the world wide web of Internet:
http://www.eubios.info/index.htm