Humanimal Trust podcast showcases One Medicine topics

Charity organization, Humanimal Trust, has launched a 10-part podcast series airing monthly called The Humanimal Connection Podcast. The Humanimal Trust is highlighting its third episode of the podcast in an organizational release.¹

The podcast overall dives into the history of how the human relationship with animals has evolved, the central issue of ethics, and the boundaries and borders of legislation and change advocacy. It also discusses the divide in current education systems between human and animal medicine and updates on the scientific advances and discoveries that are bringing about positive change for all species.

This series is hosted by Jane Davidson, RVN (known to many as ‘Jane RVN’), and discusses the importance of veterinarians, doctors, nurses, and researchers working together so that all species benefit from sustainable and equal medical progress, but not at the expense of an animal’s life, also known as One Medicine or One Health.

The third episode features James Yeates, PhD, MBA, CEO of the World Federation for Animals and Zohar Lederman, MD, PhD, an emergency doctor and bioethicist, consider some of the big questions around how morality is viewed across the world and who should decide what is best for the patient.

Lederman, said in the release, “Some bioethicists claim that ethics in some parts of the world are different to so-called mainstream or western ethics. In the western world for example, the emphasis is on patient autonomy, whereas in places like Latin America or Asia, some believe the focus is more on the community and family values. But most bioethicists would say the notion of morality is global, it just manifests differently in different parts of the world and it is our job as bioethicists to examine, understand and articulate those differences.”¹

James Yeates, said, “Veterinary ethics is increasingly focused on the welfare of animals and minimising suffering. An important aspect of this is taking into account what the animal itself wants, which is often demonstrated through its behaviour, whilst recognising the rights of the guardian. This is why it is so important that veterinary professionals are supported to make sound, ethical, welfare-based decisions.”

“James and Zohar’s discussion around who is best placed to make clinical decisions about a patient – whether that’s a human or animal – is fascinating. It acts as a useful reminder of how vital it is to respect the views of not just human patients, but animal patients too and highlights the importance of an ethical framework that serves both human and animal research, and the all-important reciprocal relationship that we are aiming for as part of One Medicine,” said Joe Bailey, CEO of Humanimal Trust, in the release.¹

The first 3 episodes of The Humanimal Connection Podcast are available now via the Humanimal Trust website.

Reference

Humanimal Connection podcast explores ethical frameworks that support One Medicine. News release. Humanimal Trust. March 16, 2023.