Research and Innovation Strategy of Slovenia 2011-2020

Forestry and Food. The Commission of the Republic of Slovenia for Ethics in Medicine hasa long tradition, being one of the oldest national ethics commission in the world, and hascontributed its share to forming of European ethical standards for biomedical research onhuman. This covers the Council of Europe Oviedo Convention on Human Rights andBiomedicine, and additional Protocol on Biomedical Research to Oviedo Convention. Bothof them are legal and ethical instruments with force of law, and Slovenia ratified them asone of the first countries. Regarding the ethics of research on human, they are bothdirectly applicable in practise. Slovenia has some special aspects regulated in respectivelaws, e.g. research on human embryos, handling human cells, tissues and other.Moreover, it promptly follows the development of ethics in biomedicine, and continues toco-operate in creating international standards, e.g. guidelines for ethical assessment ofresearch.Partly, the ethical control over research on the other areas, for example in socialsciences, is not yet set, where the rights of people, included in the research, can beviolated. Due to the fast development of science and the use of its achievements, theneed for ethical assessment of all scientific projects as requirement for commencementof work is becoming more and more explicit. This also applies for the areas, where theprobability of direct violation of human rights and ethic norms seems small. Thepossibility of so called double use of achievements also needs to be taken intoconsideration. This can involve unforeseen misuse - making of a new weapon or meansfor criminal or terrorist activities, unacceptable interventions for the benefit of individualor society. Consistent with the tendencies in the developed world, it will be reasonable toconsider the ethical control over publishing which should not affect the freedom ofscience and freedom of spreading its results. In any case, the legislation and legalarrangements will have to be supplemented in accordance with the development acrossthe world. In addition, the acceptance of codes of moral integrity and good practise inscience that will be a basis for forming such codes as well in all the scientific institutionswill be important.ObjectivesThe aim is to ensure high level of ethical awareness of researchers at their work andoutwards.1. For assessment of ethnicity of research outside biomedicine, the needs for newindependent sector commissions for research ethics are indicated. In co-operation withall the stakeholders we will prepare systematic institutional arrangement of dealing withthe ethical questions in all the important areas, following the example of the EuropeanUnion countries.2. A national code of ethics, honour and good practices in science will have to beadopted. It could serve as a basis for codes of individual research institutions.3. Court of Honour for the scientific area needs to be established.MeasuresKey sector objectiveHigh ethical standards inpublic research anddevelopment activities inSloveniaMeasure Responsibility Deadline Indicator