Commentary IV Good epidemiological practice: ethical review is essential

摘要

The Swiss society for public health publishes very useful guidelines for good epidemiological practice, prepared for "the betterment of epidemiology in Switzerland". Unfortunately a crucial point is omitted in the text: research protocols should undergo ethical reviews. This is however a general and universal obligation to investigators and institutions, for any research on human subjects (Levine 1996). The international guidelines, such as the Helsinki declaration (World Medical Association 2000), the guidelines from CIOMS (1991; 2002) and from WHO (2000) are very clear, as are the Swiss guidelines for medical research (SAMW 1997). The same principles strictly apply to research carried out in developing countries (CIOMS 1991; WHO 2000; Nuffield Council on Bioethics 2002).