Revisiting the Belmont Report: an analysis of the bioethical values of Generation Z

The 1970s world in which the Belmont Report was written no longer exists. In 2024, biotechnology and biomedicine are evolving at an unprecedented speed due to technologies like artificial intelligence and gene editing. The future leaders of our society, members of Generation Z (born from 1997–2012), face new frontiers of possibility and the great responsibility to uphold ethical standards and modify those that no longer suit the contemporary world. While previous generations have relied upon the Belmont Report, nearly half a century later, the time has come to reevaluate its relevance and reinterpret the report to fit modern needs. Pertaining specifically to Respect for Persons, we hypothesized participants would feel strongly believe autonomy is an inalienable human right and informed consent should always be used, absent extenuating circumstances. We hypothesized many participants would struggle to strongly agree or disagree with Beneficence-related topics due to Beneficence’s multifarious nature. We hypothesized participants would be extremely engaged with topics of Justice, showing strong opinions, and gathering the least neutral responses of any category. Additionally, we hypothesized participants would exhibit openness toward new biotechnological advances because of their vast exposure to technology throughout their youth. Participants rated their agreement with statements pertaining to Respect for Persons, Beneficence, Justice, and new technological advances using the Likert scale. While numerous neutral responses illuminated that Generation Z’s bioethical values are still forming, key findings include Generation Z’s prioritization of equity over equality, diminished concern for genetic privacy, and unique interpretation of doing no harm.