Inaugural lecture Ben Cohlen | ‘Not everything that is technically possible is automatically desirable’

What is the core message of your inaugural lecture and why did you choose this topic?

“The core of my lecture is: not everything that is technically possible is automatically desirable. And not everything that is available internationally should be applied to every individual patient. We are able to do more and more, which is impressive, but it also raises medical-ethical questions. Who determines the boundaries of our actions at the societal level, but also in the consulting room? My message is that medical progress is important and that ethics is not the brake, but the steering wheel. Technological progress and ethical considerations must go hand in hand. In my lecture, I use developments in reproductive medicine as examples.”

What are some important research lines that you and your team are working on?

“At the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, we have defined four research themes, all within the life cycle of women. Our motto is: Healthy pregnancy (and becoming pregnant), healthy ageing. By focusing research around these four themes, we can sharpen our focus and support each other more. The first theme is peri-conception, including research into growing egg cells in the laboratory from frozen ovarian tissue, or research into recurrent miscarriage. The second theme concerns the healthy and sick fetus, including research from fetal therapy. The third theme focuses on the healthy and sick pregnant woman, for example studies on early detection of pre-eclampsia. The fourth theme concerns healthy ageing, for example curing gynaecological cancer.”

What role do education and care play in your vision of this field?

“For me, education and patient care are just as important as research. Good care starts with listening carefully, providing clear explanations and making decisions together with patients. In a field where technology changes rapidly, doctors must not only know what is possible, but also learn to consider what is desirable. Education helps young doctors combine medical knowledge with responsibility, empathy and ethical awareness. Those who later work at the boundaries of life must also learn to deal with the limits of what is possible.”

What is something from the past years that has really stayed with you?

“What has stayed with me most is how quickly technology is developing. That is impressive, but it also makes decisions more complex. What affects me is that behind all this technology there are always people: patients with hope, uncertainty and sometimes sorrow. It continuously reminds me that progress should not only be technically possible, but also careful and responsible. Of course, the increased attention for women-specific conditions is also notable."

What will patients and society notice from your work?

“Our work should lead to safer treatments, better information and more attention to the individual patient’s needs. The doctor is evolving from a decision-maker who knows what is best for the patient into an expert coach who guides patients in making difficult choices. Ultimately, as a field of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, we want to contribute to care that not only becomes smarter, but also remains careful, appropriate and responsible.”

Looking ahead, where do you hope the field will be in 10 to 15 years?

“Personally, I hope to be enjoying a good retirement by then. I also hope that as a society we will continue to deal wisely with new developments. As healthcare budgets are expected to grow less rapidly in the coming years, we will have to make choices. I hope we can make clear that not everything that is possible should be done. My dream is a field that is innovative, but also modest enough to keep asking: where is the boundary?”

The inaugural lecture by Ben Cohlen, ‘Over de grens?’, will take place on 19 June from 16:00 to 17:00 and can be followed live via the livestream on the Leiden University website.