"Bioethics" and "biomedical ethics" are words newly coined. They show the relationship between "bios" and "ethos;' a relationship only possible in human beings as free persons. The pioneer of bioethics in my country is Dr. Jose Maria Mainetti. Widely known in the USA, where he studied the subject, Dr. Mainetti gratefully refers to the centers that, over the last 20 years, have helped start a real biological revolution with direct technological impact on human life, first in the USA and then in Europe.

In 1972, Professor Mainetti's son-Dr. Jose Alberto Mainetti-founded the Institute of Medical Humanities. It is devoted to the investigation, teaching, and spreading of bioethics. A Chair of Medical Humanities was created at La Plata University in 1980. It has served as a model for similar chairs in cities like Buenos Aires, Tucuman, Mendoza and Mar del Plato. Due to the growing interest in the field, a Center of Bioethics was created within the Institute of Medical Humanities in 1987. This encouraged the formation of several similar groups elsewhere in Argentina. The most important of these is at the National University of Mar del Plato. The group there works in an interdisciplinary way; they study the bioethical implications not only of scientific and professional activities but also of legislative measures and decisions concerning public welfare.

Interest in bioethics here still does not go much beyond these centers or some private hospitals. Sporadically, news about bioethics is broadcast or published in newspapers. The Church is the institution that has done the most to encourage public discussion of bioethical problems, especially those dealing with "in vitro" fertilization, with embryo implant, and with other aspects of reproduction technology.

At present, scientific and technological developments give us the opportunity to interfere with other beings and their environment, causing deep changes and warning of more to come. Though bioethics in Argentina began with aspects of common medical practice such as abortion and euthanasia, its concerns are now spreading to the basic sciences. For example: The National University of Mar del Plato has a team made up of doctors, psychologist, lawyers, anthropologists, philosophers, biologists, and professors, whose work has given rise to two important projects:

One is the design of a post-graduate course, approved in 1988, lasting 2 years and having certain evaluation requirements necessary for promotion. The course is to help professionals and researchers solve the bioethical problems they face in their daily activities. Both the philosophical foundations and practical realities are taken into account. Among the pressing questions considered are: "What kind of human beings do we want?" "What is the role society plays?" "What kind of science do we need?" The course is structured around problem solving and thematic guidelines.

A second important project is Sessions on Bioethics. Early in December, 1988, the second part of the fourth International Symposium on Bioethics was held in Mar del Plato and also the First Marplatense Sessions on Bioethics. Within the framework of this Symposium, the First Group of Iberoamerican Studies on Bioethics was constituted to organize the investigation of bioethics related disciplines through courses, seminars, conferences, sessions, and international meetings (at home or abroad) so as to keep permanently in touch with others researchers, specialists, and related institutions all over the world.