About

Arthur L. Caplan, Ph.D., is an Emeritus Professor of Medical Ethics and Health Policy at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine. He specializes in Medical Ethics, Health Policy, Ethical Issues in Science and Technology, and the History and Philosophy of Medicine and the Life Sciences. His educational background includes a B.A. from Brandeis University, an M.A. and M.Phil. from Columbia University, and a Ph.D. from Columbia University. His contact information is provided as being located at 3401 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, with an email address of CAPLAN@MAIL.MED.UPENN.EDU. His work focuses on ethical issues in medicine and science, contributing extensively to the field of bioethics.

Research topics

• Political Science
• Medicine
• Computer Science
• Medical emergency
• Artificial Intelligence
• Virology
• Engineering
• Biology
• Genetics
• Engineering ethics
• Family medicine
• Law
• Pediatrics
• Pathology
• Intensive care medicine
• Nursing

Selected publications

• The Epstein scandal is a wake-up call — new rules are needed on links with rich donors

  Nature · 2026-03-05

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Trump's Statements About Acetaminophen and the Problem of Epistemic Corrections

  Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · 2026-02-11

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Public reactions to Trump's claims linking prenatal acetaminophen use to autism highlight the importance of distinguishing between falsehood and the absence of methodological justification. While current evidence does not establish a causal link, responses framed solely in binary true–false terms may overlook how justification works for reaching evidence-based conclusions. We argue that effective correction should emphasize methodological reliability, thereby strengthening public understanding and trust as evidence evolves. Submitted version; archived here to guarantee Green OA in accordance with the journal's policies: https://openpolicyfinder.jisc.ac.uk/id/publication/1853 The authors do not have access to the published version due to missing read and publish agreements between their University and the publisher.

  PublisherDOI

• Trump's Statements About Acetaminophen and the Problem of Epistemic Corrections

  Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · 2026-02-11

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Public reactions to Trump's claims linking prenatal acetaminophen use to autism highlight the importance of distinguishing between falsehood and the absence of methodological justification. While current evidence does not establish a causal link, responses framed solely in binary true–false terms may overlook how justification works for reaching evidence-based conclusions. We argue that effective correction should emphasize methodological reliability, thereby strengthening public understanding and trust as evidence evolves. Submitted version; archived here to guarantee Green OA in accordance with the journal's policies: https://openpolicyfinder.jisc.ac.uk/id/publication/1853 The authors do not have access to the published version due to missing read and publish agreements between their University and the publisher.

  PublisherDOI

• The United States platelet shortage: Whole blood derived platelets or paying donors

  Transfusion and Apheresis Science · 2026-01-31

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• The Executive Order on “Crime and Disorder”: An Affront to Policy, Law, and Ethics

  Psychiatric Services · 2026-03-04

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Trump’s statements about acetaminophen and the problem of epistemic corrections

  BMJ evidence-based medicine · 2026-02-11

  articleSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Why We Can Thrive past Seventy‐Five: In Favor of Efforts to Extend the Human Lifespan

  The Hastings Center Report · 2025-05-01 · 3 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  About ten years ago, Ezekiel Emanuel wrote an article extolling the benefits of dying at seventy-five. Since then, longevity and aging interest, research, and funding have exploded. Much of the public is supportive of aging biology research, and books on extending the human lifespan populate bestseller lists. However, the issue remains hotly debated, and many articles published in the lay press spin the research in a negative light. Yet, if we collect these arguments and address each one logically, we see that each implies untenable conclusions. More to the point, there are strong arguments that human health and life have fundamental value and that incremental gains in health and in years of life will benefit us. For both ethical and practical reasons, we should support aging research.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Am I My Brother's Keeper?

  Indiana University Press eBooks · 2025-04-15 · 2 citations

  book1st authorCorresponding

  A prominent ethicist speaks out on the major health care issues of our time.

  PublisherDOI

• How stupid has science been?

  EMBO Reports · 2025-08-26 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  The public’s reluctance to come to the defence of scientists under attack by the US government is in good part to blame on scientists themselves.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Don’t wait out four hard years: speak truth to power

  Nature · 2025-03-17 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• George J. Annas

  Boston University

  126 shared

• Robert H. Blank

  University of Canterbury

  123 shared

• Janna C. Merrick

  123 shared

• Kathi Hanna

  Dartmouth College

  121 shared

• François Nielsen

  University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

  121 shared

• Roger Handberg

  University of Central Florida

  121 shared

• Carol Barner-Barry

  Dickinson College

  121 shared

• Diana Fishbein

  Northern Illinois University

  121 shared

Education

• Ph.D, philosophy

  Columbia University

  1979