Andreas Frewer

Professor Andreas Frewer is a distinguished scholar in medical ethics at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, holding the Professorship for Ethics in Medicine at the Institute for the History and Ethics of Medicine. He serves as Senior Advisory Expert for the World Health Organization (WHO) on global clinical ethics and leads multiple research initiatives including the graduate school "Human Rights and Ethics in Medicine for the Elderly." His work bridges historical scholarship with contemporary ethical challenges in healthcare.

His educational background includes a European Master of Bioethics from universities in Nijmegen, Basel, Leuven, and Padua (2002), medical studies in Munich, Erlangen, Marburg and Berlin, with study periods in Vienna, Oxford and Jerusalem. He completed his habilitation with Venia legendi for "History, Theory and Ethics of Medicine" in 2004.

Professor Frewer's research spans medical ethics, history of medicine, clinical ethics consultation, human rights in healthcare, and ethics of aging. His work examines the intersection of historical medical practices with contemporary ethical dilemmas, particularly focusing on Nazi "euthanasia" research, end-of-life care, and the development of ethical frameworks for clinical decision-making. He has pioneered research on the application of human rights frameworks to elderly care and has extensively documented the historical development of medical ethics as a discipline.

His recent publications demonstrate a clear trajectory toward addressing emerging ethical challenges in healthcare, with increasing focus on artificial intelligence in medicine, global clinical ethics frameworks, and the specific ethical needs of elderly populations. His work connects historical analysis with forward-looking ethical guidance, particularly evident in his leadership of the WHO expert group developing international clinical ethics guidelines.

Professor Frewer has received several prestigious awards including:

• Brocher Award 2012 for the project "Medical Ethics and Human Rights"
• Medizin-Preis (2019)
• Schöller-Sonderpreis für "Ethik und Menschenrechte in der Altersmedizin" (2021)

His work has been consistently funded by major research organizations including the German Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ) through the "Live Democracy!" program and the Josef and Luise Kraft Foundation Munich.

As principal investigator, he leads the Research Training Group "Human Rights and Ethics in Medicine for the Elderly" and serves as editor for multiple academic series including the Yearbook Ethics in Clinics. His advising work focuses on developing ethical competencies in medical practice and shaping institutional ethics frameworks, with significant contributions to WHO guidelines on clinical ethics consultation. He has organized numerous international conferences and lecture series including the "Leibbrand-Wettley Lecture" and the "Medicine, Ethics and Human Rights" series.

Professor Frewer co-founded the Centre for Human Rights Erlangen-Nürnberg (CHREN) and leads the Erlangen research team within the international network studying clinical ethics consultation. His work integrates closely with the WHO and other international organizations to develop practical ethics frameworks for healthcare systems globally. He serves on multiple editorial boards including "Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics" and "Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy" and is actively involved in the Academy for Ethics in Medicine (AEM).