Sheila McLean
Encyclopedia
Professor Sheila Ann Manson McLean, FRSE
, FRCPE
, FRCGP
, FRSA (b. 20 June 1951) is International Bar Association
Professor of Law and Ethics in Medicine and director of the Institute of Law and Ethics in Medicine at the School of Law
of the University of Glasgow
. Professor McLean is the Book Reviewers' Editor for Medical Law International
.
and studied at the University of Glasgow, graduating LL.B.
in 1972. She then worked as an Area Reporter for the Children's Panel
, and in 1975 was appointed Lecturer at the School of Law
of the University of Glasgow
. She was awarded an M.Litt.
in 1978, with a dissertation entitled The role of the reporter in the children's hearing system, and in 1987 completed her Ph.D.
, Information disclosure, consent to medical treatment and the law. She was appointed Senior Lecturer in 1985, and established the Institute of Law and Ethics in Medicine.
Professor of Law and Ethics in Medicine, and has since pursued a distinguished research career. She has published widely, in particular on consent, reproductive and end of life
issues. She authored a controversial book concerning the ethical future of applied genetic engineering
, entitled Modern Dilemma : Choosing Children, and has spoken out with criticism of the Baby Gender Mentor
test.
Professor McLean has also held a number of appointments, both nationally and internationally. Currently, she is UK Adviser to the European branch of the World Health Organisation on the revision of its Health for All policy, a member of the UNESCO
Biomedical Ethics Committee, and Specialist Adviser to the House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee
. Between 1997 and 1998, she chaired the Department of Health
review of consent provisions in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990
and between 2000 and 2003, chaired the Independent Review Group on Organ Retention at Post Mortem. From 1999 to 2002, she was the first Chairman of the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission
.
She has been awarded honorary degrees by the Universities of Abertay Dundee
and Edinburgh
, and Fellowships of the Academy of Medical Sciences
, Royal Society of Edinburgh
, Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
, Royal College of General Practitioners
and the Royal Society of Arts. She is also a distinguished supporter of the British Humanist Association
http://www.humanism.org.uk/about/people/distinguished-supporters.
.
Royal Society of Edinburgh
The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity, operating on a wholly independent and non-party-political basis and providing public benefit throughout Scotland...
, FRCPE
Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh was established in the 17th century. While the RCPE is based in Edinburgh, it is by no means just a Scottish professional body - more than half of its 7,700 Fellows, Members, Associates and Affiliates live and practice medicine outside Scotland, in 86...
, FRCGP
Royal College of General Practitioners
The Royal College of General Practitioners is the professional body for general practitioners in the United Kingdom. The RCGP represents and supports GPs on key issues including licensing, education, training, research and clinical standards. It is the largest of the medical royal colleges, with...
, FRSA (b. 20 June 1951) is International Bar Association
International Bar Association
The International Bar Association is an international association of lawyers and lawyers' associations. The IBA's stated purpose is to promote an exchange of information between legal associations worldwide, support the independence of the judiciary and the right of lawyers to practice their...
Professor of Law and Ethics in Medicine and director of the Institute of Law and Ethics in Medicine at the School of Law
University of Glasgow School of Law
The School of Law at the University of Glasgow provides undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Law, and awards the degrees of Bachelor of Laws , Master of Laws , Master of Science , Master of Research and Doctor of Philosophy , the degree of Doctor of Laws...
of the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
. Professor McLean is the Book Reviewers' Editor for Medical Law International
Medical Law International
Medical Law International is an academic legal periodical . It was published by A B Academic Publishers from 1993 to 2011. It is peer reviewed, and deals with the legal and ethical aspects of medicine throughout the world, with a strong emphasis on international and comparative trends in law and...
.
Early life
Born Sheila Black, she was educated at the Glasgow High School for GirlsHigh School of Glasgow
The High School of Glasgow is an independent, co-educational day school in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded as the Choir School of Glasgow Cathedral in around 1124, it is the oldest school in Scotland, and the twelfth oldest in the United Kingdom. It remained part of the Church as the city's grammar...
and studied at the University of Glasgow, graduating LL.B.
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
in 1972. She then worked as an Area Reporter for the Children's Panel
Children's Hearing
A Children’s Hearing is part of the legal and welfare systems in Scotland; it aims to combine justice and welfare for children and young people....
, and in 1975 was appointed Lecturer at the School of Law
University of Glasgow School of Law
The School of Law at the University of Glasgow provides undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Law, and awards the degrees of Bachelor of Laws , Master of Laws , Master of Science , Master of Research and Doctor of Philosophy , the degree of Doctor of Laws...
of the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
. She was awarded an M.Litt.
Master of Letters
The Master of Letters is a postgraduate degree.- United Kingdom :The MLitt is a postgraduate degree awarded by a select few British and Irish universities, predominantly within the ancient English and Scottish universities.- England :Within the English University system MLitts are not universally...
in 1978, with a dissertation entitled The role of the reporter in the children's hearing system, and in 1987 completed her Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
, Information disclosure, consent to medical treatment and the law. She was appointed Senior Lecturer in 1985, and established the Institute of Law and Ethics in Medicine.
Career
In 1990, McLean was appointed the first International Bar AssociationInternational Bar Association
The International Bar Association is an international association of lawyers and lawyers' associations. The IBA's stated purpose is to promote an exchange of information between legal associations worldwide, support the independence of the judiciary and the right of lawyers to practice their...
Professor of Law and Ethics in Medicine, and has since pursued a distinguished research career. She has published widely, in particular on consent, reproductive and end of life
End-of-life (medical treatment)
In medicine, end-of-life care refers to medical care not only of patients in the final hours or days of their lives, but more broadly, medical care of all those with a terminal illness or terminal condition that has become advanced, progressive and incurable....
issues. She authored a controversial book concerning the ethical future of applied genetic engineering
Genetic engineering
Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct human manipulation of an organism's genome using modern DNA technology. It involves the introduction of foreign DNA or synthetic genes into the organism of interest...
, entitled Modern Dilemma : Choosing Children, and has spoken out with criticism of the Baby Gender Mentor
Baby Gender Mentor
Baby Gender Mentor is the trade name of a controversial blood test designed for prenatal sex discernment, that is, to determine whether a pregnant woman is carrying a male or female child. The test is made by Acu-Gen Biolab, Inc., a biotech company in Lowell, Massachusetts, United States, and is...
test.
Professor McLean has also held a number of appointments, both nationally and internationally. Currently, she is UK Adviser to the European branch of the World Health Organisation on the revision of its Health for All policy, a member of the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
Biomedical Ethics Committee, and Specialist Adviser to the House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee
Science and Technology Select Committee
The Science and Technology Select Committee is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom.The original Science and Technology was abolished upon the creation of the Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee on November 6, 2007...
. Between 1997 and 1998, she chaired the Department of Health
Department of Health (United Kingdom)
The Department of Health is a department of the United Kingdom government with responsibility for government policy for health and social care matters and for the National Health Service in England along with a few elements of the same matters which are not otherwise devolved to the Scottish,...
review of consent provisions in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990
The 1990 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.-Coverage:The act covers several areas:# The licensing of human fertility treatment involving the use of donated genetic material ....
and between 2000 and 2003, chaired the Independent Review Group on Organ Retention at Post Mortem. From 1999 to 2002, she was the first Chairman of the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission
Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission
The Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission is a non-departmental public body in Scotland, established by the Criminal Procedure Act 1995 ....
.
She has been awarded honorary degrees by the Universities of Abertay Dundee
University of Abertay Dundee
The University of Abertay Dundee, usually known simply as Abertay University, is a modern university in Dundee, Scotland.- History :The University of Abertay Dundee was created in 1994, under government legislation granting the title University to the Dundee Institute of Technology...
and Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
, and Fellowships of the Academy of Medical Sciences
Academy of Medical Sciences
The Academy of Medical Sciences is the United Kingdom's national academy of medical sciences. It was established in 1998 on the recommendation of a group that was chaired by Michael Atiyah. Its president is John Irving Bell....
, Royal Society of Edinburgh
Royal Society of Edinburgh
The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity, operating on a wholly independent and non-party-political basis and providing public benefit throughout Scotland...
, Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh was established in the 17th century. While the RCPE is based in Edinburgh, it is by no means just a Scottish professional body - more than half of its 7,700 Fellows, Members, Associates and Affiliates live and practice medicine outside Scotland, in 86...
, Royal College of General Practitioners
Royal College of General Practitioners
The Royal College of General Practitioners is the professional body for general practitioners in the United Kingdom. The RCGP represents and supports GPs on key issues including licensing, education, training, research and clinical standards. It is the largest of the medical royal colleges, with...
and the Royal Society of Arts. She is also a distinguished supporter of the British Humanist Association
British Humanist Association
The British Humanist Association is an organisation of the United Kingdom which promotes Humanism and represents "people who seek to live good lives without religious or superstitious beliefs." The BHA is committed to secularism, human rights, democracy, egalitarianism and mutual respect...
http://www.humanism.org.uk/about/people/distinguished-supporters.
Personal life
She married Alan McLean in 1976, although the marriage was dissolved in 1987. She is a member of the Lansdowne ClubLansdowne Club
The Lansdowne Club is a London private club, which was established in 1935. It is located at 9 Fitzmaurice Place, near Berkeley Square, Mayfair, London, England....
.
External links
- Professor Sheila McLean, Staff Profile, University of Glasgow
- getCITED profile
- Interview discussing her book: Modern Dilemma: Choosing Children at the Edinburgh International Book Festival,