Federal Government Appoints Professor Eva Winkler to the German Ethics Council
German Ethics Council Prof. Dr. med. Dr. phil. Eva Winkler is a member of the German Ethics Council. Image: NCT Heidelberg/Philip Benjamin
The German Ethics Council serves as an expert advisory body to the Parliament and the Government on societal issues, particularly those involving medical and bioethical questions. Eva Winkler, Heisenberg Professor of Translational Medical Ethics at the Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University, has now been appointed to the council. As Managing Director at the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg, she leads the Section for Translational Medical Ethics at the NCT Heidelberg and University Hospital Heidelberg (UKHD). Her work covers the full spectrum of ethical questions related to the translation of research results into patient care. Professor Winkler holds doctorates in both medical ethics and hematology/oncology. She also works as a senior physician in the Department of Medical Oncology at UKHD.
On October 14, 2024, the federal government officially appointed new members to the German Ethics Council. By law, the council must consist of 26 members, including medical ethicist and oncologist Prof. Dr. med. Dr. phil. Eva Winkler from the Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University, University Hospital Heidelberg (UKHD), and the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg.
The German Ethics Council deals with controversial issues, particularly in the life sciences and healthcare, which are of significant relevance to society. Through its statements and recommendations, the council provides guidance to both society and politics. Members are appointed by the President of the German Bundestag.
The German Ethics Council was established on April 11, 2008, under the Ethics Council Act, succeeding the National Ethics Council, which was founded by the federal government in 2001. To date, the council has produced 24 comprehensive statements, addressing topics such as anonymous child abandonment, preimplantation diagnostics, genetic diagnostics, patient welfare, big data, and artificial intelligence. It has become a key contributor to policy advisory discussions and also engages the broader public.
“It is a great honor! I am excited about this challenging role and the opportunity to contribute my expertise in practical ethics for research and patient care. I am particularly committed to ensuring the ethically sound transfer of knowledge and new treatment approaches from research into clinical care,” said Prof. Dr. Dr. Eva Winkler.
“We warmly congratulate Professor Eva Winkler on her appointment to this socially and politically significant position,” said Professor Dr. Dr. Jürgen Debus, Chief Medical Director of UKHD. “Modern medicine constantly raises ethical questions that require in-depth discussion from multiple perspectives. Professor Winkler’s research on the ethical dimensions of topics like artificial intelligence and data in life sciences and medicine exemplifies this. While these areas offer immense opportunities for research and clinical progress, and thus for patients, their rapid development necessitates continual ethical reflection. We wish Professor Winkler every success in her work with the German Ethics Council.”
About the Person
Prof. Dr. med. Dr. phil. Eva Winkler earned her PhD in cancer research at Heidelberg University and in medical and health ethics at the University of Basel (Switzerland). She further developed her expertise in medical ethics through two fellowships: at the Department of Medical Ethics at Harvard Medical School, and as a faculty fellow at the "Center for Ethics and the Professions" at Harvard University/Kennedy School of Government. Her section’s research focuses include research ethics, clinical ethics, and ethical issues in health policy. Eva Winkler also serves as the scientific director and spokesperson for EURAT, an interdisciplinary platform for ethical and legal aspects of translational medicine. Additionally, she chairs the Central Commission for the Protection of Ethical Principles in Medicine and Its Border Areas (Central Ethics Commission, ZEKO) of the German Medical Association and is Vice Chair of the Academy for Ethics in Medicine (AEM).
Further Information Online
Section for Translational Medical Ethics at the NCT Heidelberg and UKHD