Neuroimaging has advanced such that functional magnetic resonance imaging can reveal explicitly an individual’s thought patterns. This raises ethical and practical questions that society needs to address e.g. Who should see our brain images? Should neuroimaging be used as evidence in court, in commerce, or by governments?

The key objectives of this programme will be to explore the ethical impact of neuroimaging on society. By stimulating debate and gathering opinion between the general public, societal groups (patients, prisoners), scientists, clinicians, ethicists, legal experts and politicians, we will raise awareness of privacy and ethical issues, determine a cross-section of opinion, and through engagement of users and policy makers, publish reports to guide policy outcomes.