Jennifer Fishman

Dr. Jennifer Fishman is a sociologist of science, technology, and medicine. She uses empirical qualitative methods to describe and analyze the emergence of new medical knowledge and technologies, from the early stages of development to their integration into clinical practice and dissemination to clinicians and patients. Often referred to as “empirical ethics,” she analyzes the often unexamined and presumptive ethics and values within new scientific enterprises and how these impact research trajectories, technological diffusion and commercialization, and ultimately patients/consumers. She has studied new pharmaceutical drug development and advertising, anti-aging science and medicine, direct-to-consumer genetic risk susceptibility testing, end-of-life medical decisions, prenatal genetic carrier testing panels, and the promise of personalized genomic medicine. Fishman's new project will examine the early translation of epigenetic research and knowledge into public health and media messages to prospective parents.