Hugh Whittall studied Philosophy and Politics way back in the early 1980s, and has since worked in policy roles, mostly in areas where developments in health and science can give rise to social and ethical concerns. Hugh has been Director of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics since February 2007.  The Council’s role is to identify ethical questions raised by new developments in biological and medical research; to promote discussion; publish reports and make policy recommendations. Recent reports have covered areas such as Dementia, Biofuels, and Human Bodies in treatment and research.

Before joining the Nuffield Council, Hugh was at the Department of Health, where he was involved with the preparation and passage of the Human Tissue Act 2004, and the setting up of the Human Tissue Authority.  He was also involved in end-of-life issues and transplantation policy, having initiated the Organ Donation Task Force which reported to Ministers with recommendations on how to improve organ donation rates.

Prior to that Hugh spent three years at the European Commission in Brussels, where he was involved in the funding and promotion of bioethics research, and was for seven years Deputy Chief Executive of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, responsible for licensing, policy and communications.