 |
CONSULTATIONS
EUROPEAN
CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF VERTEBRATE ANIMALS USED FOR EXPERIMENTAL
AND OTHER SCIENTIFIC PURPOSES
http://www.bio.pu.ru/win/lit/bioethic/
http://vivovoco.nns.ru/VV/PAPERS/MEN/CLONE_5.HTM
Regional
Expert Consultations
on
networking in the sphere of ethics and bioethics
(in
CIS and Baltic states)
10-11
March 2005, Minsk, Belarus
On March 10-11, 2005
Regional experts consultations on the cooperation development in a sphere
of ethics and bioethics took place in Minsk (Belarus).
The meeting was organized
by National Commission for UNESCO of the Belarus Republic, Forum of Committees
on Ethics of the CIS, the Institute of Genetics and Cytology of BAS, the
Institute of philosophy of RAS and UNESCO Moscow Office.
Specialists on ethics
and bioethics from CIS and Baltic States, UNESCO Headquarters and UNESCO
Moscow Office took part in the Consultations.
Goals of the meeting:
Share of experience in
ethics and bioethics practices development and in establishment of institutional
cooperation and coordination;
Come to an agreement
about common framework of committees on ethics to assist the realization
of universal principles of human-aided biomedical research;
Define and come to an
agreement about the directions of educational programs on ethics of science
and technology, ecological ethics and bioethics development.
In the framework of
Consultations four sessions were held:
Instruments of cooperation
and creation of a common information field in the sphere of ethics and
bioethics;
Work improvement of
committees on research ethics in the sphere of human rights and dignity
in biomedical research protection guaranty;
Ethical aspects in the
collection and use of genetic data;
Development of educational
programs in the sphere of ethics of science and technology, environmental
ethics, bioethics.
The sessions were oriented
to make out:
proposals on regional
plan of cooperation in the sphere of ethics and bioethics and dissemination
of progressive practice and experience on functioning of national authorities,
engaged in ethics;
proposals on ethical
committees work assessment to up-grade ethical expert examination of biomedical
research;
proposals and recommendations
on educational programs on ethics of science and technology, ecological
ethics and bioethics development.
Folowing the results
of Regional consultations a final document will be conducted. Following
statements are already included in the project of final document:
to consider expedient
regular meetings on international, regional and national levels with participation
of CIS and Baltic region experts on ethics of science and technology and
bioethics;
to recommend national
governments and parliaments, relevant ministries and institutions, public
organizations and trade unions to render assistance to national initiatives,
in particular, initiatives concerning development of educational programs
on ethics, as well as national committees on ethics and bioethics establishment
and functioning using national and international experience;
to consider expedient
the elaboration and subsequent use of educational programs modules under
region needs in varied ethical education and enlightenment of different
social groups, including decision-makers in the sphere of scientific projects
ethical examination, experts, social workers, social services consumers,
researchers, teachers, students, etc.
to consider necessary
and to support the cooperation with international organizations, such as
UNESCO, World Health Organization, Council of Europe, European Commission,
The World Medical Association, European Forum on Clinical Practice, etc.
to use and increase
cumulative intellectual and information resources including resources of
available mechanisms of international and regional cooperation, such as
Global Ethical UNESCO Observatory, Information and Enlightening Center
on bioethics in Vilnius, Forum of Committees on ethics of the CIS, and
others, to initiate, thereupon, the project of Debating-society on bioethics
establishment and support;
to initiate and support
the project of revelation, study and solving of problems concerning collection
and use of genetic data in the Region, in another words, to implement principles
of International Declaration of human genetic data;
to support initiatives
of interdisciplinary projects, concerning ethics of science and technology,
ecological ethics, bioethics, human rights, social responsibility, legal
and ethical aspects of actual problems such as HIV/AIDS, patients rights,
reproductive health, etc.
FINAL DOCUMENT
on the results of Regional
Expert Consultations
on networking
in the sphere of ethics and bioethics
(in CIS and Baltic states)
10-11 March 2005, Minsk,
Belarus
In
all scientific fields, ethical reflection and debate have been stepped
up everywhere in recent years in view of the issues raised by scientific
progress and technological development. Identification, analysis of and
searching solutions for these problems require application of universal
ethical principles and norms based on shared humanitarian values. In practice
this process involves undertaking relevant measures on the identification
of emerging challenges in science and technology, involvement of decision-makers
and the realization of educational and awareness-raising programmes. In
this regard there is a need in the development of regional cooperation,
exchange of experience, methodologies and research results, especially
since a growing international dimension of ethical and bioethical issues
highlights the necessity of effective coordination among multiple stakeholders.
Taking into account the
topicality of these challenges, a meeting of experts was held in Minsk,
organized by the UNESCO Moscow Office for Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus,
Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and the Russian Federation, Belarus National
Commission for UNESCO, Forum of Ethics Committees of CIS states (FECCIS),
Institute of Genetics and Cytology of Belarus National Academy of Sciences,
and Institute of Philosophy of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
The participants of the
meeting, who gathered in Minsk to discuss ways of development of regional
cooperation in the sphere of ethics and bioethics,
Representing CIS and
Baltic states (Armenia, Belarus, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania,
the Republic of Moldova, the Russian Federation, Ukraine), UNESCO Headquarters
and UNESCO Moscow Office,
Sharing the opinion,
that commitment to universal ethical norms and principles is a pre-requisite
for the protection of human rights and dignity in the era of rapid progress
in science and technology and expanding scales of use of their results
in various spheres of human and social life,
Aiming at the implementation
of the Universal Declaration on Human Genome and Human Rights, International
Declaration on Human Genetic Data and other international documents in
this sphere,
Recognizing and taking
into account the accumulated international experience in identifying, analysing
and addressing ethical challenges in science and technology,
Recognizing the necessity
to improve the quality of education, to expand access to existing information
resources and to encourage communication among experts in the sphere of
ethics of science and technology and bioethics,
Emphasizing the necessity
to develop and apply into practice educational programmes, approaches and
methodologies, which provide for the awareness-raising and deeper insight
both among specialists and the most diverse social circles into basic ethical
problems emerging as a result of the development of life sciences, progress
in healthcare, and practical application of relevant knowledge,
Considering capacity-building
of national bodies, which deal with ethical issues, as a pre-requisite
for the implementation of ethical norms aimed at the protection of human
rights and dignity in the sphere of biomedicine,
Recognizing the significance
of international cooperation and potential capacities of the countries
of the region in the development and practical application of universal
ethical principles and norms,
Recognizing high scientific
potential and taking into account specific ethical traditions peculiar
to the countries of the region,
Summarizing the results
of the consultations, adopted the following decisions:
to continue holding
regular meetings in the countries of the region at international, regional
and national levels with participation of experts in ethics of science
and technology and bioethics;
to recommend national
governments and parliaments, relevant ministries and institutions, public
organizations and trade unions to support national initiatives, in particular
those related to the development of educational programmes on ethics, as
well as the establishment and activities of ethics and bioethics committees,
with respect to national and international experience;
to consider it advisable
to elaborate and further apply educational programme modules in accordance
with regional needs in the sphere of differentiated ethical education and
awareness-raising among various social groups including decision-makers
and those responsible for conducting ethical expertise of scientific projects,
practicians, social workers, social services consumers, researchers, teachers,
students, etc.;
to utilize and multiply
cumulative intellectual and information resources including those available
in the framework of existing mechanisms of international and regional cooperation,
such as UNESCO Global Ethics Observatory, Information and Educational Centre
for Bioethics in Vilnius, Forum of Ethics Committees of CIS states, and
to initiate a project aimed at the establishment and support of a Discussion
Forum on bioethics;
to initiate and support
the project aimed at identifying, studying and addressing ethical problems
related to the collection, storage and use of genetic data in the countries
of the region, taking into account the norms and principles of UNESCO International
Declaration on Human Genetic Data;
to consider necessary
and to support cooperation on issues related to ethics of science and bioethics
with international organizations, such as UNESCO, World Health Organization,
the Council of Europe, the European Commission, World Medical Association,
European Forum for Good Clinical Practice, etc.;
to address CIS executive
bodies, the countries of the region and relevant national organizations
and institutions inviting them to interaction and cooperation in the sphere
of ethics of science and technology and bioethics;
to apply to the Division
of Ethics of Science and Technology of UNESCO Social and Human Sciences
Sector requesting to provide on a regular basis related information through
national commissions for UNESCO, national ethics and bioethics committees
and FECCIS;
to apply to UNESCO
with a request to consider the possibility of granting support to the regional
project with the participation of FECCIS, which is aimed at summarizing
experience in the development of ethical expertise of biomedical research
in the region with respect to their cultural and historical specifics;
to support initiatives
of interdisciplinary projects in such fields as ethics of science and technology,
environmental ethics, bioethics, human rights, social responsibility, legal
and ethical aspects of the most topical issues, such as HIV/AIDS, patients
rights, reproductive health, etc.;
to express their gratitude
to the organizers UNESCO Secretariat, UNESCO Moscow Office, FECCIS, Belarus
National Commission for UNESCO, Institute of Genetics and Cytology of BAS,
Institute of Philosophy of RAS for the organization of consultations;
to apply to the UNESCO
Moscow Office with a request to finalize this document jointly with the
co-organizers of the meeting, to disseminate it among the participants
and agree on the text, and to forward the text in Russian and English languages
to relevant national organizations and UNESCO Headquarters.
Minsk, 11 March 2005
National Commission of the Republic
of Moldova
Str. A.Corobceanu 24a,
MD-2004, Chisinau, Republica Moldova
Tel/fax 3732 23 53 55;
3732 23 52 05 , tel:3732 23 51 89
e-mail:
unesco@moldova.md
Partners
The State University
of Medicine and Pharmacy
Nicolae Testemitanu
Center Intercultural
Dialogue
National Center of Bioethics
of Republic of Moldova |
