Medical ethics is a difficult and controversial field and that part of it dealing with reproductive medicine is no exception. Our first conference on philosophical ethics in reproductive medicine (PERM 1) in 1988 discussed many of the controversies in this field. The acclaim it received encouraged us to organise PERM 2 but choosing a relevant and topical programme was a clairvoyant challenge in its own right. Since PERM 1 we have seen a number of developments, in the UK and internationally, that have thrown the problems that society must face into sharp relief. Drawing on the expertise of...