World Health Organization (WHO)

Committee Profile

This year the BruinMUN World Health Organization Committee will be tackling the topic “Regulation of Modern Biotechnological Failures” which will address the rapidly evolving intersection between bioethics and biotechnology. These avenues will be explored through specific instances where oversight of technological advances have led to great detriment within a population case studies. One of which includes Theranos Scandal, involving Stanford dropout Elizabeth Holmes’s scheme to deceive the public and investors about the true capabilities of her blood-testing device. Another example of corporate negligence and inadequate testing is seen in the Dalkon Shield controversy, where the distribution of a faulty intrauterine device (IUD), caused severe infections, injuries, and even deaths among hundreds of thousands of women. Our second topic, “Promoting Ethical Stem Cell Research Therapy'' will consider another new development in the health sector from an ethical, legal, and societal perspective. This will encourage delegates to consider the moral implications of scientific advancements, helping students develop ethical reasoning and decision-making skills. Especially with vastly different personal, developmental, and cultural backgrounds, the topic provides an opportunity to debate topics such as incubating artificial babies with stem cells, regenerating skin grafts with stem cell treatments, and the ethical implications of using stem cells in research.

Chair Letter

Hi delegates!

My name is Kaylee Hsieh (she/her) and I will be your World Health Organization (WHO) Chair at BruinMUN 2024! I am a second-year psychobiology major on the pre-medical track and I’m from Orange County, CA. On campus, I am a part of the Medical Education and Learning Club, and I like to play tennis with friends. In my free time, I love going on matcha/coffee runs, eating good food in LA, and going to the beach. During the colder seasons, I am also an avid snowboarder!

My involvement in MUN began in high school where I took MUN as a class all four years. I attended numerous conferences in the Southern California area, and a few college-hosted conferences on travel trips. During my junior and senior years, I chaired my high school’s conference and really enjoyed facilitating debate in healthcare and humanitarian committees. Last year, as a freshman, I joined UCLA MUN where I staffed this same committee at BruinMUN 2023 and staffed LAMUN 2024, our college conference. Thus far, I have truly treasured MUN as a program for strengthening my public speaking skills, introducing me to public health, and for helping me form lasting friendships.

The United Nations World Health Organization is a General Assembly committee dedicated to international public health. With 194 member states, the WHO operates through a network of offices with the primary objective to promote health, keep the world safe, and serve the vulnerable. As delegates, you will be tasked with finding solutions to global health challenges. You’ll be discussing deeply relevant issues, and my hope is that these topics will bring out the best in your research and debate skills. I look forward to hearing your ideas in committee!

Don’t hesitate to contact me via email if any questions arise.

Best,

Kaylee Hsieh | Chair, WHO | BruinMUN 32

who@bruinmun.org