Today our society faces unprecedented scientific developments that penetrate the very mysteries of life and pose serious ethical challenges to human culture. The National Catholic Bioethics Center (NCBC) was established in 1972 to reflect on these developments and to promote and safeguard the dignity of the human person in health care and the life sciences. The Center is unique among bioethics organizations in that its message derives from the official teaching of the Catholic Church which draws from a moral tradition that acknowledges the unity of faith and reason and builds on the solid foundation of natural law.
 
The Center's staff consults regularly on life science issues and medical issues with the Vatican, the U.S. bishops and public policy-makers, hospitals and international organizations of all faiths. Vatican agencies which regularly consult with the Center include the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Pontifical Academy for Life and the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers.
 
The Center works to achieve its mission of defending the dignity of the human person in health care and the life sciences through educational programs, publishing, consultation and research. The Center publishes two journals (" Ethics & Medics" and " The National Catholic Bioethics Quarterly") and at least one book annually on issues such as physician-assisted suicide, abortion, cloning, and embryonic stem cell research. Educational programs include the National Catholic Certification Program in Health Care Ethics and a variety of seminars and other events.