Maximise the Return on Ethics Consultations by Minimising Deficit Thinking

By Dr Andrew Smart, Sociology Research Officer for the Oxford Genetics Knowledge Park and Dr Kevin E Jones, Senior Research Associate with the Programme on Understanding Risk at Brunel University

Dr Andrew Smart is the Sociology Research Officer for the Oxford Genetics Knowledge Park, based at The Ethox Centre, University of Oxford. His work is focused on the social aspects of human genetics research. He is currently exploring the social implications of translating genetics research into clinical practice. In his previous research, he has examined the commercial and clinical development of pharmacogenetics, and mass media coverage of the ethical, legal and social implications of human genetics.


Dr Kevin E Jones is a Senior Research Associate with the Programme on Understanding Risk at Brunel University. His current research investigates the relationship between social exclusion and public perceptions of risk and science. Kevin has written widely on a variety of scientific controversies, including the debate over agricultural biotechnology, the management of BSE in the UK and the introduction of growth hormones in the North American dairy industry.