Exploring the integration of bioethics in Venezuelan university education, from institutional development to innovative teaching approaches
Bioethics emerges as an essential beacon in our technoscientific world, a discipline that intertwines biological knowledge with human values. As humanity faces unprecedented dilemmas—from gene editing to the fair distribution of health resources—Venezuela has initiated an institutional academic path to integrate this reflection into its university education.
Bioethics represents that delicate balance between assimilating the benefits of progress and protecting humanity's connection with nature, a balance that commits the future of human society 7 .
The institutionalization of bioethics in Venezuela began in the 1990s, driven mainly by physicians with an interest in humanistic reflection. In 1995, a pioneering group of university teachers led by Alfredo Castillo Valery—the first Venezuelan physician with training in bioethics—established the National Bioethics Commission (CENABI) 3 .
That same year, the first clinical bioethics committee was created at the Hospital de Clínicas Caracas, under the direction of Dr. Gabriel D'Empaire 3 . Its creation faced skepticism within the medical community, which initially perceived it as an impediment to research freedom 3 .
Creation of CENABI and first hospital committee - Birth of organized bioethics in Venezuela
Recommendation of the VII Ibero-American Summit - Impulse to create national scientific ethics commissions
Publication of the Bioethics and Biosecurity Code - First national regulatory framework
Resolution 4.021 to regulate National Advanced Training Programs - Legal basis for postgraduate programs in bioethics
Creation of the National Advanced Training Program in Bioethics - Formalization of advanced studies
| Year | Institutional Milestone | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Creation of CENABI and first hospital committee | Birth of organized bioethics in Venezuela |
| 1997 | Recommendation of the VII Ibero-American Summit | Impulse to create national scientific ethics commissions |
| 1999 | Publication of the Bioethics and Biosecurity Code | First national regulatory framework in the field |
| 2013 | Resolution 4.021 to regulate National Advanced Training Programs | Legal basis for postgraduate programs in bioethics |
| 2025 | Creation of the National Advanced Training Program in Bioethics | Formalization of advanced studies (master's and doctorate) |
A fundamental milestone in Venezuelan university education occurred in June 2025, when through Resolution No. 062 the National Advanced Training Program (PNFA) in Bioethics was created 1 . This program leads to the academic degrees of Master in Bioethics (56 credit units) and Doctor in Bioethics (65 credit units).
The PNFA in Bioethics is defined as a set of "academic, research and innovation activities to contribute to the formation of a community of knowledge in bioethics capable of issuing recommendations and methodological guidance to address various ethical dilemmas" 1 .
| Component | Main Content | Pedagogical Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Fundamentals | Ethical principles, historical documents (Nuremberg Code, Helsinki Declaration) | Theoretical-conceptual training in philosophical and regulatory foundations |
| Thematic Areas | Clinical and health bioethics, environmental preservation, food and agriculture, culture and society | Multidisciplinary approach applied to specific contexts |
| Research | Bioethics research methodologies, case analysis, preparation of academic work | Development of research and critical capacities |
| Practical Application | Functioning of ethics committees, case deliberation, institutional advice | Practical training for institutional implementation |
Bioethics education has explored innovative formats, as demonstrated by the telematics course "Introduction to everyday bioethics for first-year residents" analyzed in a recent study 4 . This course, implemented during three editions (2021-2023), showed notable quantitative results.
The educational design with "short-duration audiovisual pills" and content self-management were especially valued by students 4 . Learning outcomes were significant: while in the initial test 57.3% of students scored above 8/10, in the final evaluation more than 90% reached this level of excellence.
Participants completed the course
Satisfaction with learning obtained
| Indicator | Results | Improvement After 1st Edition |
|---|---|---|
| Participants Completed | 1,268 students | 72% women, no gender differences in content access |
| Content Access | >75% of audiovisual material consulted | No significant differences between modules |
| Forum Participation | 4,132 interventions | Significant increase after course redesign |
| Academic Performance | 57.3% >8/10 (initial) vs. >90% >8/10 (final) | Substantial improvement in evaluation results |
| Overall Satisfaction | 89% satisfied with learning | Increase in satisfaction with structure and timing |
A critical area of bioethical application in Venezuelan universities is research with experimental animals. As researchers from the University of Carabobo point out, "scientific and biotechnological advances characteristic of postmodernity have raised new paradigms in relation to ethics" 9 .
The ethical assessment of this research presents particular dilemmas, balancing the potential benefit for humans against the potential harm to animals, without hindering scientific progress 9 . Venezuelan universities have established institutional committees for the care and use of animals.
Multidisciplinary bodies with consultative and decision-making functions on bioethical components of scientific research 7 .
Instruments like Venezuela's Bioethics and Biosecurity Code, incorporating international agreements with Venezuelan cultural considerations 7 .
Tools that guarantee respect for the autonomy of research participants, especially crucial in vulnerable populations 7 .
Systematic methodologies to analyze risk nature and benefit justification, improving communication with evaluation boards 7 .
Bioethics education in Venezuela shows growing dynamism, as evidenced by the invitation from the Institute of Advanced Studies Foundation (IDEA) in September 2025 to researchers and professionals to participate in a Bioethics course as part of the National Advanced Training Program 2 .
This course, aimed especially at professionals in health, environment, food and agriculture, addresses thematic areas such as clinical and health bioethics, preservation of Mother Earth, food and agricultural bioethics, and epistemological perspectives.
The main challenge identified by specialists is that the process of institutionalizing bioethics "has not been articulated with a capacity building program, both for the research area and for management" 3 . Overcoming this limitation requires strengthening talent training and the creation of sustainable institutional capacities.
Venezuelan universities face the challenge of "formulating good knowledge policies and considerably increasing management techniques that strengthen the capacity to transmit knowledge to society" 6 .
The integration of "some aspects of bioethics in Venezuelan university education" evidences a process under construction, with significant achievements and pending challenges. From its beginnings in the 1990s to the creation of the National Advanced Training Program in 2025, bioethics has been gaining space in Venezuelan classrooms, laboratories and institutional committees.
The training of professionals in health sciences with ethical sensitivity and the ability to address the complex dilemmas posed by technoscientific development is fundamental for the future of the country.
The path traveled is promising, but the distance to travel remains significant. The consolidation of an authentic bioethics culture in Venezuelan universities will require sustained efforts, pedagogical innovation and, above all, the commitment to train not only excellent professionals, but also ethically responsible citizens with life in all its expressions.
Beginning of institutionalization
Formalization of advanced studies