JOINT CONFERENCE EUREC-ANCEI RESEARCH ETHICS COMMITTEES

Dear members of Research Ethics Committees, This letter is not only addressed to the members of Research Ethics Committees, but also to every person, either in Spain or in the rest of Europe, who is interested in Bioethics and research. During this last year a lot of very important events in the realm of Bioethics did occur. In particular it is worth to mention the implementation of the new EU Regulation 536/2014 on clinical trials on medicinal products for human use in EU Member States, WMA introduced also its “Declaration of Taipei on Ethical Considerations regarding Health Databases and Biobanks“, and also the Council of Europe initiated its Recommendation CM/Rec (2016)6 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on research on biological materials of human origin. All these issues came about in a political environment where the idea of the European Union seems to be shaken and where Research Ethics Committees were marginalized by the European legislature rather than given the necessary attention to their important contribution of ensuring the protection of human subjects in clinical trials. In light of these circumstances, it is very important to look for consensus that can consolidate the future of the ethics of research on humans and can open new ways of thinking for a cooperative research in Europe. With these targets in mind the Barcelona EUREC‐ANCEI (European Network of Research Ethics Committees – Asociación Nacional de Comités de Ética de la Investigación) Conference has been organised, via along lectures, round tables and presentations. They will tackle the following topics: The proposal of a new joint platform for research ethics evaluation, either biomedical or not, by means of the SATORI European project. The last recommendations of the European Council of Ministers of May 2016 on the personal data handling in the context of management of human biological samples and the use of Biobanks. The features of generational relationships by means of European Projects which treat the psychological stress on adolescents. The meaningfulness and implications of the Research Ethics Committees’ independence. The impact of the new EU Regulation 536/2014 on the Research Ethics Committees of different European countries. Description, pros, cons, surfeits and deficits. Ethics of research on sequencing and prediction in patients with high risks of psychiatric disorders including children and adolescents (the IMAGEMEND project). The research in vulnerable populations. The participation of children in the Research Ethics Committees. The Kids Barcelona Project. The question of what kind of Research Ethics Committee can fit in Europe. A proxy committee or an administrative regulator one. Medical devices: the new regulatory project. Ethical problems in the clinical trials and use of medical devices. The example of fetal surgery. To get European opinions and feedback about the proposed topics a free communications session on the different topics of the conference have been programmed. The future of Research Ethics Committees, perspectives and hopes. The conclusions of the Conference. The languages of the Conference will be English and Spanish. However, the texts of the lectures and communications to be published in the Conference Book, will be in English. The deadline for the presentation of abstracts to the Conference will be the 31st March 2017. The Scientific Committee will notify their acceptance, either as an oral communication or as a poster, by 15th April. The Scientific Committee will give an award to the best communication at the closing of the Conference. The Conference will take place in the auditorium of SJD Barcelona Children’s Hospital, and the Borja Institute of Bioethics of the Ramon Llull University will also collaborate in the organisation of the event. Soon the definitive program will appear and it will be possible to find updates on the web sites of ANCEI, EUREC, Sant Joan de Déu Research Foundation and Borja Institute of Bioethics. All organisers of the EUREC‐ANCEI Joint Conference hope it will be an occasion for exchanging ideas and bioethical debate. An event to foresee the growing lines of the future, where all people interested in Bioethics and in Research, either Biomedical or otherwise, are invited to participate, whilst enjoying the beautiful Barcelona springtime. 21th December 2016 EUREC‐ANCEI

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