Jin P, Hakkarinen M. Highlights in bioethics through 40 years: a quantitative analysis of top-cited journal articles. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health 2017;43(5):339-345.
(doi: 10.1136/medethics-2016-103658)
To investigate trends in the field of bioethics, that is constantly evolving, the authors conducted a quantitative analysis of 800 top-cited articles in bioethical journals over the past 40 years. Findings show that the forefront of bioethics varies over time and is becoming more collaborative, internationalised, diversified, and decentralised. Each period could be defined by topics or areas of interest that attract a great deal of discussion and thus citations, and some themes are more enduring than others.
http://jme.bmj.com/content/43/5/339