Executive Order 13237: Creation of the President’s Council on Bioethics
President: George W. Bush
Created an 18-member presidential council to study and explain ethical questions arising from biomedical and behavioral science, including stem cells, cloning, genetics, neuroscience, assisted reproduction and end-of-life care.
Status: Revoked.
Is Executive Order 13237 still in effect? No. Revoked November 24, 2009; successor commission later completed its work.
What does Executive Order 13237 do?
The order assigned these duties: President — Appoint up to 18 nonfederal members and designate the chair; Council — Study issues, convene discussion and publish reports.
Verified the 18-member advisory council and its subject areas against the signed order and official successor order. EO 13521 expressly revoked EO 13237 in 2009; the successor commission is distinguished from the earlier council.
Before and after
Before the order
Federal bodies addressed particular research questions, but no presidential council had this broad bioethics inquiry and public-discussion mandate.
After the order
The council held public meetings and issued reports on cloning, stem-cell research, biotechnology, aging, newborn screening and related subjects. Later orders continued it through September 2009. EO 13521 revoked EO 13237 and established a successor bioethics commission.
Who had to do what
| Agency / office | Action | Timing / position |
|---|---|---|
| President | Appoint up to 18 nonfederal members and designate the chair | At establishment |
| Council | Study issues, convene discussion and publish reports | During continued terms |
| Executive agencies | Provide lawful information requested by the chair | As requested |
| HHS Secretary | Provide support, appoint the executive director and perform FACA functions | During the council’s life |
What happened next
EO 13237 signed.
EO 13521 revoked EO 13237 and created a successor commission.
Legal and source detail
How it works legally
The council was advisory: it could not approve projects, regulate agencies or change funding and research-protection law. FACA, appropriations and HHS authorities governed its operation. No order-specific merits judgment was located.
Sources by type
If a source is unavailable, first check the cited publisher or another official repository. The cited publisher remains the authority.
Primary and official sources
Orders, laws, court records and official implementation material.
- Bush White House — signed action (opens in a new tab) Official record
- Archived council — stem-cell white paper (opens in a new tab) Official record
- GovInfo — authenticated compilation (opens in a new tab) Official record
How we checked this
Last checked against the sources above on October 2, 2026. How we research →