Chapter II: Ethics.

The role of the National Consultative Ethics Committee for Life Sciences and Health is to give opinions on the ethical problems and social issues raised by advances in knowledge in the fields of biology, medicine and health or by the consequences for health of advances in knowledge in any other field. The Committee is completely independent in the performance of its duties.

I.-A public debate in the form of Estates General shall precede any proposed reform of the ethical problems and social issues mentioned in article L. 1412-1. These are organised on the initiative of the National Consultative Ethics Committee for Life Sciences and Health, after consultation with the relevant standing parliamentary committees and the Parliamentary Office for the Evaluation of Scientific and Technological Choices. The opinion of the competent committees and…

I.-The Committee is an independent institution comprising, in addition to its Chairman, appointed by the President of the Republic, forty-five members: 1° Five leading figures appointed by the President of the Republic and belonging to the main philosophical and spiritual families; 2° One Member of Parliament and one Senator; 3° One member of the Council of State, appointed by the Vice-President of the Council of State, and one member of…

The Committee draws up an annual report on its activities, which is submitted to the President of the Republic and to Parliament and is made public. This report includes an analysis of the ethical issues raised in the areas of competence of the Agence de la biomédecine and in the field of neuroscience. It may publish recommendations on subjects within its remit.

The Estates General mentioned in article L. 1412-1-1 bring together conferences of citizens chosen to represent society in all its diversity. After receiving prior training, they debate and draw up an opinion and recommendations which are made public. The experts participating in the citizens’ training and the Estates General are chosen according to criteria of independence, pluralism and multidisciplinarity.

The funds required to carry out the tasks of the National Consultative Ethics Committee for Health and Life Sciences are included in the “Government Action” programme relating to the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms. The provisions of the law of 10 August 1922 relating to the organisation of the control of expenses incurred do not apply to their management. The Committee submits its accounts to the Court of Auditors…

A decree in the Conseil d’Etat specifies the conditions for appointing the members of the committee mentioned in 1°, 3°, 4°, 5° and 6° of I of Article L. 1412-2, in particular the procedures for respecting the gap mentioned in III of the same Article L. 1412-2 and those for organising a renewal by half of the body, and defines its referral, organisation and operating procedures.

Ethical discussion forums are set up at regional or inter-regional level; in conjunction with university hospital centres, they provide a forum for training, documentation, meetings and interdisciplinary exchanges on ethical issues in healthcare. They also act as regional or inter-regional observatories for ethical practices. They help to organise public debates to promote public information and consultation on bioethical issues. Each year, they draw up an activity report which is sent…