[2] He was the Chairman of the President's Council on Bioethics, under the 43rd U.S. President, George W. Bush, and was the founder of the Edmund D. Pellegrino Center for Clinical Bioethics (renamed in his honor in 2013) at Georgetown University.

He was the father of seven children: Thomas (d. 2011); Stephen (d. 1981); Virginia; Michael; Andrea; Alice; and Leah.

He served as a department chair and dean, as well as President of the Catholic University of America.

The author of 11 books, Dr. Pellegrino's research interests included the history of medicine, the philosophy of medicine, professional ethics, the patient-physician relationship and biomedical ethics in a culturally pluralistic society.

[5] Dr. Pellegrino had appeared on episode 11 on YouTube of "Da Ali G Show" on HBO, when Ali G conducts a panel on medical ethics with several renowned experts, including Dr. Pellegrino, pressing his guests on issues of cloning (why not clone Carmen Electra?