The purpose of the program is to: 1) support public health ethics, training and practice; 2) develop partnerships among academic, government, non-governmental institutions, private sector organizations, and community stakeholders that enhance and advance ethical public health practice; 3) enhance community engagement in the development and implementation of public health programs; and 4) promote public health ethics scholarship in the scientific literature. The four strategies are: 1) engaging communities, 2) partnering with academic, government, and non-government institutions, and community stakeholders, 3) advancing Public Health Ethics scholarship, and 4) promoting ethical public health practice.

In 1997 the U.S. government committed support for developing a bioethics center at Tuskegee University to improve ethics in health care for all Americans. The Tuskegee University National Center for Bioethics in Research and Health Care (TUBC) is the only center dedicated to study, practice, and training in public health ethics at a historically black college or university (HBCU). TUBC’s goals are to: 1) conduct research, scholarship, and training in public health ethics and bioethics for under-served populations; 2) educate students, faculty, scholars, and the general public about public health ethics issues to improve public health services to underserved populations; 3) promote racial/ethnic and geographic diversity in the field of public health ethics and bioethics; and 4) facilitate effective community partnerships to address inequities in health and health care and support health promotion for all Americans. TUBC provides scholarship and practice opportunities for students in public health ethics leading to the improvement of public health services to under-served populations in the United States. TUBC facilitates public participation through educational events and the ongoing involvement of the “U.S. Public Health Service Syphilis Study” survivors' families and affected communities. Since 1999 TUBC has hosted an annual commemoration of the “U.S. Public Health Service Syphilis Study at Tuskegee, Alabama.” TUBC has assisted the survivor families to establish the foundation, Voices for Our Fathers. In 2012 TUBC launched an annual Public Health Ethics Intensive to increase knowledge in Public Health Ethics for policy and practice. TUBC also reaches out to local schools offering sessions to introduce scientific research and education to students, and TUBC offers mentoring sessions at Tuskegee University in public health for university students. In 2013, TUBC began sponsoring Public Health Ethics practice fellowships and internships for graduate and undergraduate students to increase Public Health Ethics knowledge and skill among future public health professionals. April 2018, TUBC marked the 21st anniversary of the Syphilis Study commemoration and the 7th annual “Public Health Ethics Intensive”. June of 2018 marked the 6th year of the Public Health Ethics fellowship and internship program. To date the program has sponsored 20 summer internships and 12 fellowships. Tuskegee University is the only eligible applicant for this funding opportunity.

Jo Valentine JXV2@cdc.gov