Toby L. Schonfeld, PhD

Scholarship

Research and publications

My scholarship has been guided by a conviction that ethics should illuminate the practical challenges faced by individuals, professions, and institutions. Although grounded in philosophical analysis, my work has consistently addressed questions arising in healthcare, research, public policy, and organizational life.

My earliest work centered on reproductive ethics, religious ethics, and research ethics. These projects examined how social values, professional roles, and institutional practices shape decisions about reproduction, participation in research, and the protection of human subjects.

A recurring theme throughout my work has been the relationship between ethical theory and professional practice. Whether writing about clinical decision-making, research oversight, ethics education, or institutional governance, I have sought to show how philosophical analysis can clarify difficult questions without oversimplifying them.

More recently, my work has increasingly examined the ethical responsibilities of institutions themselves: how healthcare systems, universities, research organizations, and public agencies cultivate integrity, accountability, and public trust.

Toby Schonfeld presenting at the 2024 ASBH conference

Publications

Books 2
  1. Hester, D. Micah and Toby Schonfeld, editors (2022). Guidance for Healthcare Ethics Committees, 2nd edition. Cambridge University Press.
  2. Hester, D. Micah and Toby Schonfeld, editors (2012). Guidance for Healthcare Ethics Committees. Cambridge University Press.
Articles in Peer-Reviewed Journals 76
  1. Articles in Peer-Reviewed Journals
  2. (* indicates student or trainee)
  3. Schonfeld, Toby L. (2024). ASBH and the VIBeS Survey. American Journal of Bioethics. 24.9: 3-5.
  4. Weaver, Meaghan, Lucinda Potter, Mary Beth Foglia, and Toby Schonfeld (2024). Removing Code Status from Patient Wristbands While Fostering Strong Care Practices. Journal of Palliative Medicine. 27.5: online. https://doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2023.0695.
  5. Nicholls, Stuart G, Holly A. Taylor, Richard James, Emily E. Anderson, Phoebe Friesen, Toby Schonfeld, Elyse Summers (2023). A Cross-Sectional Survey of Recruitment Practices, Supports, and Perceived Roles for Unaffiliated and Non-Scientist Members of IRBs. American Journal of Bioethics: Empirical Bioethics. 14:3, 174-184, DOI: 10.1080/23294515.2023.2180107.
  6. Cynthia M.A. Geppert, Kenneth A. Berkowitz, Toby Schonfeld (2022). COVID-19 Ethics Debrief: Pearls and Pitfalls of a Hub and Spoke Model. Journal of Clinical Ethics 33.1 (Spring): 63-68.
  7. David Alfandre, Virginia Ashby Sharpe, Cynthia Geppert, Mary Beth Foglia, Kenneth Berkowitz, Barbara Chanko, and Toby Schonfeld (2021). Ethics Frameworks and Beyond – Advancing Our Understanding of the Contingency Phase to Improve Health Care Quality During Public Health Emergencies. American Journal of Bioethics. 21:8, W1-W3, DOI: 10.1080/15265161.2021.1952349.
  8. David Alfandre, Virginia Ashby Sharpe, Cynthia Geppert, Mary Beth Foglia, Kenneth Berkowitz, Barbara Chanko, and Toby Schonfeld (2021). Between Usual and Crisis Phases of a Public Health Emergency: The Mediating Role of Contingency Measures. American Journal of Bioethics. https://doi.org/10.1080/15265161.2021.1925778
  9. Alfandre, David, Cynthia Geppert, Jennifer Goedken, and Toby Schonfeld (2021). A Step in the Wrong Direction: Florida Lawmakers' Interference with Informed Consent for Pelvic Exams. Women’s Health Issues. Mar 11: 11:S1049-3867(21)00005-0. doi: 10.1016/j.whi.2021.02.001. Online.
  10. Toby Schonfeld and Cynthia Geppert (2021). Researchers Experience Moral Distress Too! American Journal of Bioethics. 21.4: 100-101.
  11. Geppert, Cynthia and Toby Schonfeld (2020). Talking Can Be Harmful Depending on What you Say. American Journal of Bioethics. 20.12:42-44.
  12. Schonfeld, Toby, David Alfandre, Kenneth Berkowitz, Barbara Chanko, Mary Beth Foglia, Cynthia Geppert (2020). Implementing VA’s Authoritative Ethical Guidance in a Pandemic. American Journal of Bioethics. 20.7: 145-147. doi: 10.1080/15265161.2020.1779860.
  13. *Lowe, Abbey, Angela Hewlett, and Toby Schonfeld (2020). How Should Clinicians Respond to International Public Health Emergencies? AMA Journal of Ethics. 22.1: E16-21. doi:10.1001/amajethics.2020.16.
  14. Schonfeld, Toby and Lisa Rasmussen (2019). Partnering, Not Enduring: Citizen Science and Research Participation. American Journal of Bioethics. 19.9: 44-45. https://doi.org/10.1080/15265161.2019.1630504
  15. Schonfeld, Toby, Joseph S. Brown, N. Jean Amoura, and Bruce G. Gordon (2019). Strength Through Structure: Defending a Structured Approach to Contraceptive Mandates in Clinical Research. Ethics and Human Research. 41.3: 33-35.
  16. Schonfeld, Toby (2019). Finding Common Ground and Advancing Engagement in Citizen Science. Narrative Inquiry in Bioethics. 9.1 (Spring): 41-45.
  17. Geppert, Cynthia and Toby Schonfeld (2018). Where Have All the Theologians Gone and Should We Lament Their Passing? American Journal of Bioethics. 18.6: 60-62.
  18. Toby Schonfeld, *Melinda Gormley, and Daniel K. Nelson (2017). Dollars and Deadlines: Rule Reforms in Short Time Frames. The American Journal of Bioethics. 17.7: 62-64. doi: 10.1080/15265161.2017.1328533.
  19. Toby Schonfeld and Daniel K Nelson (2016). Reflections from Fellow Feds: Addressing Delays in Oversight of Federally-Funded Research. The American Journal of Bioethics. 16.8: 50-2. doi 10.1080/15265161.2016.1187216.
  20. Hugh Stoddard, Cory Labrecque, and Toby Schonfeld (2016). Using a Scoring Rubric to Assess Writing of Bioethics Students. Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics. 25.2: 301-311, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0963180115000602.
  21. Toby Schonfeld, Kristina Johnson*, Ethan Seville*, Colleen Suratt*, Jennifer Goedken (2015). Qualitative Differences between Two Methods of Ethics Education: Focus Group Results. Ethics and Social Welfare. 9.3: 250-254, DOI: 10.1080/17496535.2015.1023737.
  22. Lisa B Haddad, Sean Philpott-Jones, and Toby Schonfeld (2015). Human rights and clinical ethics are the right framework to address the probable DMPA-HIV interaction: authors' response. Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Healthcare. 41.2: 156-7.
  23. Toby Schonfeld, Kendra K. Schmid and Deborah Boucher-Payne (2014). Incorporating Spirituality into Health Sciences Education. Journal of Religion and Health. 55:85-96, DOI: 10.1007/s10943-014-9972-6.
  24. Haddad, Lisa B., Sean Philpott and Toby Schonfeld (2014). Contraception and Prevention of HIV Transmission: A Conflict of Public Health Principles. Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care. 41.1: 20-23.
  25. Brown, Joseph S., Toby Schonfeld, N. Jean Amoura and Bruce Gordon (2014). No Girls Allowed: A Sponsor’s Rejection of one IRB’s Contraception Policy. IRB: Ethics and Human Research. 36.6: 13-15.
  26. Schonfeld, Toby, Hugh Stoddard, and Cory Labrecque (2014). Examining Ethics: Developing a Comprehensive Exam for a Bioethics Master’s Program. Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics. 23:3 1-11.
  27. James R. Anderson and Toby Schonfeld (2014). “Informed Consent for Comparative Effectiveness Trials.” New England Journal of Medicine. 370.20: 1958.
  28. Schonfeld, Toby, Cory Labrecque, and Hugh Stoddard (2014). Connecting Certification and Education. American Journal of Bioethics. 14.1: 18-19.
  29. Schonfeld, Toby, Joseph S. Brown, Kendra Schmid, N. Jean Amoura, Bruce Gordon (2013). Protection Against Fetal Risk: Contraception and Pregnancy Testing. IRB: Ethics and Human Research. 35.6: 9-15.
  30. Schonfeld, Toby (2013). The Perils of Protection: Vulnerability and Women in Research. Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics. 34:3: 189-206. DOI: 10.1007/s11017-013-9258-0.
  31. Schonfeld, Toby (2013). Cesarean Delivery on Maternal Request: Ethical Considerations. Postgraduate Obstetrics and Gynecology. 33.2: 1-8.
  32. Schonfeld, Toby and D. Micah Hester (2013). “Nonadherence to Medications.” Journal of the American Medical Association. 310.14: 1504-1505.
  33. Schonfeld, Toby (2013). Educating for Ethical Engagement: Teaching ethics to graduate and professional students. Expositions: Interdisciplinary Studies in the Humanities. 7.1. Available at: https://expositions.journals.villanova.edu/issue/view/117.
  34. Rodriguez, Sarah and Toby Schonfeld (2012). The-Organ-That-Shall-Not-Be-Named: Female Genitals and Generalized References. Hastings Center Report. 42.3: 19-21.
  35. Schonfeld, Toby, Joseph S. Brown, N. Jean Amoura, Bruce Gordon (2012). Protecting Privacy Redux: Response to Open Peer Commentaries. American Journal of Bioethics. 12.1: W1-W2.
  36. *Wack, Kevin and Toby Schonfeld (2012). Patient Autonomy and the Unfortunate Choice Between Repatriation and Suboptimal Treatment. American Journal of Bioethics.12.9:6-7.
  37. Schonfeld, Toby, Beth Stevens, Michelle Lampmann, and William Lyons (2012). Assessing Challenges in End-of-Life Conversations with Elderly Patients with Multiple Morbidities. American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. 29.4: 260-267.
  38. Schonfeld, Toby, N. Jean Amoura, Bruce Gordon, and Joseph S. Brown (2011). “You Don’t Know Me, But…” Ethical Access and Human Subjects Research. The American Journal of Bioethics.11.11: 31-38.
  39. Schonfeld, Toby, *John Longo, and *Erin Dahlke (2011). Pre-test / Post-test Results from an Online Ethics Course: Qualitative Assessment of Student Learning. Teaching Philosophy. 34.3: 273-290.
  40. Stoddard, Hugh and Toby Schonfeld (2011). A Comparison of Student Performance between Two Instructional Delivery Methods for a Health Care Ethics Course. Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics. 20.3:493-501.
  41. Schonfeld, Toby, Joseph S. Brown, N. Jean Amoura, Bruce G. Gordon (2011). Ideal vs. Real: Revisiting Contraception Guidelines. IRB: Ethics and Human Research. 32.6: 13-16.
  42. *Dworetz, April R. and Toby Schonfeld (2011). Power in Practice: Social implications of medicine’s control over patients. The American Journal of Bioethics.11.12: 62-63.
  43. Schonfeld, Toby and James R. Anderson (2011). Dropout by design: Advance Planning for Research participant noncompliance. American Journal of Bioethics. 11.4: 18-21.
  44. Fisher, Christopher M. and Toby Schonfeld (2010). Sex and Blood: A Deeper Exploration of Discrimination in the FDA Blood Donor Policy. American Journal of Bioethics.10.2: 40-42.
  45. Schonfeld, Toby L. and *Kristine Galich (2009). Waiting It Out. The Hastings Center Report. 39.2: 16-17.
  46. Anderson, James R. and Toby Schonfeld (2009). “Research, Not Quality Assurance.” Anesthesia and Analgesia. 108.1: 376-377.
  47. Schonfeld, Toby and Joseph Brown (2009). Evaluating Empirical Assessments of Social Risk. American Journal of Bioethics. 9.11: 55-56.
  48. Hester, D. Micah and Toby Schonfeld (2009). Pardon My Asking: What’s New? The American Journal of Bioethics. 9.8: 11-13.
  49. Schonfeld, Toby L, N. Jean Amoura, and Christopher Kratochvil (2009). iPLEDGE Allegiance to the Pill: Evaluation of Year 1 of a Birth Defect Prevention and Monitoring System. The Journal of Law, Medicine, and Ethics. 37.1: 104-117.
  50. Anderson, James R. and Toby Schonfeld (2009). Data Sharing Dilemmas: Allowing Pharmaceutical Company Access to Research Data. IRB: Ethics and Human Research. 31.3: 17-19.
  51. Schonfeld, Toby L., N. Jean Amoura, Julie A. Stoner, and Bruce G. Gordon (2009). Women and Contraception in Research: A Pilot Study. The Journal of Women’s Health. 18.4: 507-512.
  52. Eckenwiler, Lisa, Carolyn Ells, Dafna Feinholz, and Toby Schonfeld (2008). Hopes for Helsinki: Reconsidering Vulnerability. The Journal of Medical Ethics. 34.10:765-766.
  53. Schonfeld, Toby L (2008). Messages from the Margins: Jewish Bioethics and Lessons from Feminism. Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics. 28.1: 209-224.
  54. Eckenwiler, Lisa, Dafna Feinholz, Carolyn Ells, and Toby Schonfeld (2008). Commentary on the Declaration of Helsinki. International Journal on Feminist Approaches to Bioethics. 1.1: 161-177.
  55. Schonfeld, Toby L. and Hugh Stoddard (2008). Comparison of Online and Traditional Ethics Education: A Pilot Study. Journal of Allied Health. 37.1: e22-33.
  56. Schonfeld, Toby L. and Beth A. Damitz (2008). “A Morally Reprehensible Patient.” American Family Physician. 77.7: 1021-1023.
  57. Hester, D. Micah, Joseph S. Brown and Toby Schonfeld (2008). Pragmatism, Principles, and Protection. The American Journal of Bioethics 8.4: 32-34.
  58. Schonfeld, Toby and *Michelle K. Spetman (2007). Ethics Education for Allied Health Students: An Evaluation of Student Performance. Journal of Allied Health. 36.2: 77-80.
  59. Schonfeld, Toby L., Debra Romberger, D. Micah Hester, Sarah Shannon (2007). Resuscitating a Bad Patient. Hastings Center Report. 37.1: 14-17.
  60. Schonfeld, Toby, Bruce Gordon, N. Jean Amoura, and Joseph Brown (2007). Money Matters. American Journal of Bioethics. 7.2: 86-88.
  61. Hester, D. Micah, Schonfeld, Toby, and N. Jean Amoura (2007). Gatekeeping and Personal Values: Misuses of Professional Roles. American Journal of Bioethics. 7.6: 27-28.
  62. Schonfeld Toby (2007). “Mammography Quality Standards Act: Gains and losses in women's health care.” Virtual Mentor. 9.11: 765-68. <http://virtualmentor.ama-assn.org/2007/11/pdf/pfor1-0711.pdf> Accessed November 2, 2007.
  63. Brown, Joseph S., Toby L. Schonfeld and Bruce Gordon (2006). “You May Have Already Won…”: An examination of the use of lottery payments in research. 28.1: 12-16.
  64. Anderson, James R. and Toby L. Schonfeld (2006). “Patient Consent in the Era of De-identified Research Databases.” Journal of Clinical Oncology. 24.4: 720-721.
  65. Schonfeld, Toby (2005). Reflections on Teaching Health Care Ethics on the Web. Science and Engineering Ethics. 11.3: 481-494.
  66. Schonfeld, Toby and Bruce G. Gordon (2005). Contraception in Research: Policy Suggestions. IRB: Ethics and Human Research 27.2: 15-20.
  67. Schonfeld, Toby, Joseph S. Brown and Bruce G. Gordon (2005). Participant Protection and the Risk-Benefit Relationship. American Journal of Bioethics. 5.5: 22-24.
  68. Schonfeld, Toby, Joseph S. Brown, *Meaghann Weniger and Bruce Gordon (2003). Paying the Homeless for Participation in Research: Arguments against Payment-in-Kind (PinK). IRB: Ethics and Human Research 25.5: 17-20.
  69. Schonfeld, Toby (2003). Parents of Unhappy Poets: Fiduciary Responsibility and Genetic Enhancements. Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics 12.4: 411-417.
  70. Anderson, James R., Toby L. Schonfeld, Timothy K. Kelso and Ernest D. Prentice (2003). An IRB’s Deliberations Regarding Restrictions on Women of Child-Bearing Potential as Subjects for an Early Phase Clinical Trial. IRB: Ethics and Human Research 25.4: 7-11.
  71. Jameton A, Aita V, Anderson R, Schonfeld T (2003). University of Nebraska College of Medicine, Section on Humanities and Law, Department of Preventive and Societal Medicine. Academic Medicine 78.10: 1065.
  72. *Webber, Sarah and Toby Schonfeld (2003). Cutting History, Cutting Culture: Female Circumcision in the United States. American Journal of Bioethics 3.2: 65-66.
  73. Schonfeld, Toby (2003). Smart Men, Beautiful Women: Gamete Commodification and Social Values. Bulletin of Science, Technology and Society 23.3: 168-173.
  74. Schonfeld, Toby (2002). Pride or Prejudice? HIV Partner Notification and Mid-Level Principles. Philosophical Inquiry 24: 97-109.
  75. Schonfeld, Toby (2002). Balancing Bioethics: A Complementary Career. American Journal of Bioethics 2.4: 32-33.
  76. Fey, Toby Schonfeld (2000). Regulating Radiology: Ethical Issues in Mammography and Federal Legislation. Journal of Women’s Health and Gender-Based Medicine 9.10: 1113-1118.
Book Chapters 18
  1. Schonfeld, Toby (2024). Independent Review, Data/Safety Monitoring, and Regulatory Oversight. In: Douglas McKay and Ana Iltis, eds: Oxford Handbook of Research Ethics. Oxford University Press, 79-95.
  2. Hester, D. Micah and Toby Schonfeld (2023). Membership and Structure of Institutional Bioethics Committees. In: Erick Valdes and Juan Alberto Lecaros, eds: Handbook of Bioethical Decisions. Vol 3. Springer, 277-287. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-29455-6_18.
  3. Hester, D. Micah and Toby Schonfeld (2022). Introduction to Healthcare Ethics Committees. In Hester, D. Micah and Toby Schonfeld, editors. Guidance for Hospital Ethics Committees, 2nd edition. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1-10.
  4. Hester, D. Micah and Toby Schonfeld (2022). Brief Introduction to Ethics and Ethical Theory. In Hester, D. Micah and Toby Schonfeld, editors. Guidance for Hospital Ethics Committees. New York: Cambridge University Press, 11-19.
  5. Schonfeld, Toby and Marielle Gross (2021). Contraception, Pregnancy Testing, and Pregnant Partners. In: Elizabeth Bankert, Bruce Gordon, Elisa Hurley, and Sharon Shriver, eds: IRB Management and Function, 3rd Edition. Jones and Bartlett, 485-494.
  6. *Lowe, A.E., Hewlett, A., Schonfeld, T. (2020). Professional Responsibilities: How Should Clinicians Respond to International Public Health Emergencies? M.C. Schwartz (Ed.). The Ethics of Pandemics. Broadview Press. (20-24). Broadview Press.
  7. Joseph S. Brown and Toby Schonfeld (2020). Research Participation as Compensatory Service for Combat Conscientious Objection. In: Rasmussen, Lisa (ed): Human Guinea Pigs, 2nd edition. Springer.
  8. Schonfeld, Toby (2016). Ethical Considerations in Development of Future Therapies for Women and Children. In: Claude Hughes and Michael Waters (eds): Translational Toxicology: Defining a New Therapeutic Discipline. Springer: 339-371.
  9. Schonfeld, Toby (2015). Jewish Genetic Decision-Making and an Ethic of Care. In: Dorff, Elliot and Zoloth, Laurie (eds): Jews and Genes. Jewish Publication Society: 215-229. [Book was a finalist for the 2015 National Jewish Book Awards, category Contemporary Jewish Life and Practice]
  10. Schonfeld, Toby (2015). Research Involving Vulnerable Populations: A Critical Analysis. In: Fenton, Arras, and Kukla (eds): Routledge Companion to Bioethics. Routledge Press: 238-248.
  11. Schonfeld, Toby (2012). Confidentiality. In Hester, D. Micah and Toby Schonfeld, editors. Guidance for Hospital Ethics Committees. New York: Cambridge University Press.
  12. Hester, D. Micah and Toby Schonfeld (2012). Brief Introduction to Ethics and Ethical Theory. In Hester, D. Micah and Toby Schonfeld, editors. Guidance for Hospital Ethics Committees. New York: Cambridge University Press.
  13. Hester, D. Micah and Toby Schonfeld (2012). Introduction to Healthcare Ethics Committees. In Hester, D. Micah and Toby Schonfeld, editors. Guidance for Hospital Ethics Committees. New York: Cambridge University Press.
  14. Schonfeld, Toby (2010). A Private Matter and Women’s Rights. In: Colt, Henri, Friedman, Lester, and Quadrelli, Silvia (eds.): The Picture of Health: Medical Ethics and the Movies. New York: Oxford University Press: 377-382.
  15. Madariaga, Miguel, Toby Schonfeld, and Susan Swindells (2008). Political Refugees Living with HIV Infection: Biological and Socio-Cultural Considerations. In: Zimmerman, Monica (ed): Political Refugees: Social Conditions, Health, and Psychological Characteristics. Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.: 33-62.
  16. Schonfeld, Toby L (2008). Religious Values and Medical Decision-Making. In: Hester, DM (ed): Ethics By Committee: A Textbook on Consultation, Organization, and Education. Boulder: Rowman and Littlefield: 133-160.
  17. Gordon B, Schonfeld T, Prentice E (2006). Requiring Birth Control to Participate in Research. In: Amdur R, Bankert E (eds): Institutional Review Board. Management and Function (second edition). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers: 351-355.
  18. Gordon B, Brown J, Kratochvil C, Schonfeld T, Prentice E (2006). Paying Research Subjects. In: Amdur R, Bankert E (eds): Institutional Review Board. Management and Function (second edition). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers: 154-159.

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