About the BAC

Mr Richard Magnus
Professor Lee Eng Hin

The Bioethics Advisory Committee (BAC) was established by the Cabinet to address the ethical, legal and social issues arising from biomedical sciences research in Singapore.

It has 15 members from diverse backgrounds such as law, biomedical research, medicine, philosophy, sociology and education as well as representatives from religious groups and the media.

The committee focuses on three main areas: the protection of the rights and welfare of individuals; public education and the source of information on bioethical issues; and identifying broad principles to govern the ethical, legal and social implications of human biology research.

KEY MILESTONES

December 2000

BAC is established.

July 2002

Then Deputy Prime Minister Tony Tan announces the Government's acceptance of BAC's recommendations on human stem cell research and cloning.

July 2010

BAC organises and hosts the 10th World Congress of Bioethics.

April 2012

BAC chairman Richard Magnus becomes first Singaporean appointed to Unesco's International Bioethics Committee (IBC) for the 2012-2015 term.

November 2013

Singapore is elected as a member of Unesco's Intergovernmental Bioethics Committee (IGBC) at the 37th Session of the Unesco General Conference for the 2013-2017 term.

October 2017

Singapore is re-elected as a member of IGBC for the 2018-2021 term, and re-elected as Rapporteur to IGBC for the 2018-2019 term.

February 2020

BAC member, Professor Lee Eng Hin, is appointed a member of the International Bioethics Committee for the 2020-2023 term. He succeeds Mr Magnus as Singapore's representative on the Unesco body.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on June 18, 2021, with the headline About the BAC. Subscribe