Michael Fuchs National ethics councils - Deutscher Ethikrat

Michael Fuchs National ethics councils. Their backgrounds, functions and modes of operation compared
Nuffield Council on Bioethics
The Nuffield Council on Bioethics was established by the Nuffield Foundation in 1991.
It is independent and is funded jointly by the Nuffield Foundation, the Wellcome
Trust and the Medical Research Council. Its mission is to select important issues in
the field of bioethics and to set up working parties to consider them. The working
parties draw up lengthy reports and issue brief recommendations. So far they have
produced reports on genetic screening, the use of human tissues, xenotransplantation,
mental disorders and genetics, genetically modified crops, medical research in developing
countries, the ethics of patenting DNA, and genetics and human behaviour. In
addition, discussion papers are sometimes compiled. The discussion paper Stem Cell
Therapy: Ethical Issues of 6 April 2000 substantially anticipated current British legislation
on therapeutic cloning and its regulation.
The Council does not claim to be representative. It has only 14 members, chosen
for their outstanding knowledge and experience. Its reports are particularly valued by
international expert groups. Invitations to apply for membership are issued at intervals
when a vacancy arises. They are directed in particular to medical practitioners,
natural scientists, teachers, legal experts, persons with media and health management
experience, and individuals with philosophical and ethical backgrounds. The
Nuffield Council has often sent delegates to the Global Summit of Bioethics Advisory
Bodies, and has sometimes supplied members of its planning bureau.
Websites
HFEA: http://www.hfea.gov.uk
HGC: http://www.hgc.gov.uk
Nuffield Council: http://www.nuffieldbioethics.org
Bibliography
Gelder, M. G. (1990). A National Committee for the Ethics of Research. Journal of Medical Ethics 16/3: 146 – 147.
McCall Smith, A. (2001). Fragenbeantwortung. In: Enquete-Kommission “Recht und Ethik der modernen
Medizin” (14. Deutscher Bundestag). Stellungnahmen von Vertreterinnen und Vertretern europäischer
Ethikkommissionen zur Öffentlichen Anhörung “Europäischer Diskurs zu ethischen Fragen der modernen
Medizin” vom 19. November 2001. Available online at:
http://www.bundestag.de/parlament/kommissionen/archiv/medi/medi_di_stell/McCall_dt.pdf
Nuffield Council (1992). Annual Report 1991/92. London.
Nuffield Council (1992). Press Release: Working Party on Genetic Screening. London.
Nuffield Council (1995). Human Tissue: Ethical and Legal Issues. London.
Nuffield Council (1996). Animal-to-Human Transplants: The Ethics of Xenotransplantation. London.
Nuffield Council (1999). Genetically Modified Crops: The Ethical and Social Issues. London.
Nuffield Council (2000). Nuffield Council on Bioethics 1992 – 99. London.
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Nuffield Council (2000). Stem Cell Therapy: The Ethical Issues; a Discussion Paper. London.
Nuffield Council (2002). The Ethics of Research Related to Health Care in Developing Countries.
Available online at: http://www.nuffieldbioethics.org/fileLibrary/pdf/errhdc_fullreport001.pdf
Shapiro, D. (1995). Nuffield Council on Bioethics. Politics and Life Sciences 14/2: 263 – 266.
Turner-Warwick, M. (1994). Ways and Means of Ethics Committees: Counselling Authorities, Health System.
In: Council of Europe (ed.). Standing Conference of European Ethics Committees. Proceedings, Stockholm
8 – 9 April 1994: 35 – 37.
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