Rapid advances in Western Science, bio-medicine and related technology over the past fifty years or so, mean that humanity is increasingly confronted with ethical decisions which involve evaluations of the quality, value and meaning of human life. Cognizant of the global scale and magnitude of these rapidly evolving complexities, UNESCO championed and oversaw the adoption of the Universal declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights. Arguably, the most far reaching international agreement in the field of bioethics to date, the declaration takes into account people’s social, legal, cultural and ecological dimensions whilst recognizing the unique interactions between medical and technical innovations, and particular environments.