He is editor of the Ethik in der Praxis / Practical Ethics series at Lit Verlag (Münster, Germany) and the Medizinethische Materialien, Bochum.
Dr. Sass is a Rechtsritter ("Knight of Justice") of the Johanniterorden, the Order of Saint John (Bailiwick of Brandenburg).
His proposed virtues and principles for cross-cultural health care ethics include for the patient the balance between quality of life and length of life, individual self-determination and compliance with expert advice, for the expert the balance between professional responsibility and respect for clients’/patients’ autonomy, do-no-harm and do-good; trust, truthfulness and a prudent mix of solidarity and subsidiarity are important for all parties involved in the care for health, quality and happiness of life.
He proposes that most ethical issues should be decided by risk-competent and health-literate citizens rather than bureaucracies and legislation, but that governments and institutions have the responsibility to introduce and to support health information and health competence as an essential part of educating risk-competent citizens for the 21st century.
He also is concerned that modern principles of bioethics do not put enough emphasis on professionalism and compassion in expert services and on developing and supporting better communication-in-trust and cooperation-in-trust models of provider-customer interactions.