Bernard Lo, MD

Dr. Lo discusses his Chinese immigrant upbringing in Philadelphia, his transition from physics to medicine, and how his career in clinical medical ethics began, a time when he managed one critically ill patient’s end-of-life care and another bone marrow transplant case. He discusses the early days and long-term impact of HIV/AIDS on medical ethics and his own work with HIV patients, emphasizing the ethical challenges faced during the AIDS epidemic, including fears among healthcare workers and the need for safer practices. Dr. Lo describes the creation of the medical ethics program at UCSF, including challenges and successes in building infrastructure and relationships. The conversation also touches on the influence of the West Coast culture on his work and personal life, including family dynamics and the importance of diversity. He discusses the ethical guidelines for stem cell research at UCSF and his role in the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), including regulations for gamete donor consent and compensation for research-related harms. Lo highlights the many ethical considerations that arose during the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly resource allocation and vaccine hesitancy. He ends by describing the community-building work he fostered among early-career bioethicists, the importance of mentorship, and the impact of ethics textbooks on medical education.