Rethinking Medical Ethics During Wartimes and Crises: An Interdisciplinary Workshop in the Wake of the Bosnian War

The event titled “Rethinking Medical Ethics During Wartimes and Crises: An Interdisciplinary Workshop in the Wake of the Bosnian War,” organized in cooperation with the TOBB ETÜ Faculty of Medicine, Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University, the Bosniak Studies Initiative, and with contributions from the TOBB ETÜ International Chair in Bioethics WMA Cooperation Center Student Association, was held on November 19, 2025, at the TOBB ETÜ Faculty of Medicine Conference Hall, with the participation of TOBB ETÜ Rector, Prof. Dr. Yusuf Sarınay. The event aimed to draw attention to the ethical dilemmas faced by doctors in war and crisis environments, while also bringing the historical and political legacy of the Bosnian War back into the spotlight. A photography exhibition Prof. Dr. Nejat Akar and Prof. Dr. J. Sedef Göçmen, which explored the contemporary traces and spatial reflections of the Bosnian War, was presented to visitors in the foyer area.

In the opening session, Dr. Fatima Dautbasic-Klempic, a medical doctor who served during the Bosnian War, shared her experiences of practicing medicine under wartime conditions with young medical trainees. The interdisciplinary discussion, led by Prof. Dr. P. Elif Ekmekci, Assist. Prof. Dr. Başak Akar Özer, Assist. Prof. Dr. Adisa Avdic Küsmüş, and Dr. Emina Zoletic, examined the political dimensions of medical practice during the Bosnian War, the status of healthcare professionals within the framework of international agreements, and the ethical responsibilities assumed by health professionals and researchers in the post-war period.

In the second session, medical doctors and experts explored the boundaries of medical ethics, professional responsibilities, and potential practical challenges in a possible crisis or wartime scenario through an interactive question-and-answer format. The discussions were enriched by Tuna Göktürk’s presentation on the experiences of the Bosniaks in the post-war era, Prof. Akar’s briefing on philicide-suicide cases during the war, Prof. Ekmekci’s assessment of data sharing and ethics in times of crisis, and the introduction of Dr. Sercan Kürklü’s book Ethics of Disasters.

It was noted that the workshop, which attracted considerable interest from students and academics across various disciplines, opened the door to new discussions in academia on medical ethics and the role of physicians in war and crisis settings.