BMC Medical Ethics is calling for submissions to our Collection, Ethical challenges in outbreak response. The emergence of infectious disease outbreaks presents numerous ethical challenges that require careful consideration by public health officials, healthcare providers, and policymakers. As outbreaks escalate, the need for rapid decision-making often clashes with the principles and values that underpin clinical and public health ethics. This Collection aims to explore these dilemmas, focusing on the intersection of ethics and crisis management during outbreak response. We welcome work that critically reassesses governance failures during the COVID-19 pandemic, other outbreaks, and/or anticipates "Disease X" scenarios. The collection seeks to provide a platform for discussing normative tensions distinctive to outbreak contexts, such as urgency, uncertainty, collective risks, and coercive powers.

Addressing ethical challenges in outbreak response is crucial for ensuring that future public health interventions are fit for purpose. In addition to substantive principles, there is now increased attention to the procedural justice that should guide public health decisions in crises, emphasizing the need for transparent, inclusive, and participatory approaches. As societies grapple with the complexities of managing outbreaks, examining these ethical dimensions will be vital for fostering public confidence and ensuring the effectiveness of interventions in future outbreaks.

This Collection welcomes critical reflection on the strengths and limits of existing ethical frameworks for outbreak response, including their capacity to address contextual complexity, power asymmetries, and global inequities.

Topics of interest include but are not limited to:

• Ethical dilemmas in resource allocation
• Tensions between individual rights and coercion for collective ends
• Consent and authorization in conditions of urgency, uncertainty, and constrained liberty
• Public trust in health systems
• Crisis management ethics
• Reciprocity and occupational risk (healthcare workers, essential workers)
• Global justice and structural inequalities
• Bioethical frameworks for outbreak response
• Ethics in pandemic preparedness

We welcome normative, empirical, and interdisciplinary contributions that critically examine how ethical commitments are negotiated, operationalized, or compromised in outbreak response.

Researchers are invited to submit their work to this Collection, showcasing insights into the ethical challenges faced during outbreak response and exploring innovative solutions to ensure ethical practices in public health.

This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well Being) and SDG 10 (Reduced inequalities).

All manuscripts submitted to this journal, including those submitted to collections and special issues, are assessed in line with our editorial policies and the journal’s peer-review process. Reviewers and editors are required to declare competing interests and can be excluded from the peer review process if a competing interest exists.

The intersection of genomic research and ethical considerations presents a rich field of inquiry that is increasingly relevant in today's scientific landscape. As advancements in technologies such as CRISPR and genome editing have accelerated, the ability to manipulate genetic material has raised critical ethical questions surrounding gene privacy, informed consent, and the potential consequences of genetic modifications.

Addressing the ethical dimensions of genomic research is essential as society navigates the implications of genetic testing and information. Recent developments in gene editing technologies have not only transformed therapeutic possibilities but have also highlighted the need for robust ethical frameworks to guide their application. Discussions surrounding equity in access to genomic technologies, risks of discrimination based on genetic information, and ethics surrounding privacy of genetic data are vital to ensure that advancements are made with consideration for all stakeholders involved. Facilitating dialogues among scientists, ethicists, policymakers, the public, and fostering a collaborative approach to addressing ethical dilemmas in genomic research is essential.

BMC Medical Ethics is calling for submissions to our Collection, Genomic research and ethical considerations. This Collection aims to explore these complexities and the ethical implications that arise from our growing capabilities in understanding and manipulating the human genome. We welcome research that addresses the ethical considerations surrounding genomic advancements and their implications for society. Key topics of interest for submission include, but are not limited to:

Ethical implications of CRISPR technology

Gene privacy and data protection

Informed consent in genetic testing

The role of bioethics in genomic research

Equity in access to genetic modification technologies

All manuscripts submitted to this journal, including those submitted to collections and special issues, are assessed in line with our editorial policies and the journal’s peer review process. Reviewers and editors are required to declare competing interests and can be excluded from the peer review process if a competing interest exists.