Research with human subjects
The Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences (SAMS) adopted medical-ethical guidelines for «Research Investigations in Humans» for the first time in 1970; these have been revised many times over the years, the last time in 1997. For several years the Federal Government has been drawing up a constitutional article and a corresponding law on research in humans. In the opinion of the SAMS these efforts are very much to be welcomed. In this connection close attention has again been paid to the legal and ethical considerations with regard to research in humans, and the SAMS arrived at the conclusion that its guidelines had been overtaken by the developments in the law, and withdrew them at the end of 2008. They are now replaced by the «Manual on Research in Humans».This manual is intended to provide research scientists and members of ethical committees with support in the planning, the performance and the evaluation of research in humans, particularly with regard to health and illness. Besides discussion of the ethical questions, the manual also provides a schematic view of the important basic concepts of research and the legal conditions that apply until the new Law on Human Research comes into effect. The manual will be published in the early summer of 2009.
Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences, Petersplatz 13,