Ethics Committees in Finland – benefits of diversity

The Finnish system for fostering high standards of research ethics is based on a network of national, regional and institutional ethics committees. There are two national advisory boards attached to the Ministry of Education that cover the whole spectrum of academic disciplines: the Committee for Public Information (TJNK), which promotes the use and dissemination of knowledge in society, and the National Advisory Board on Research Ethics (TENK), which focuses on issues related to research integrity.

In addition to these multidisciplinary bodies, specialist national advisory boards have been set up for health care ethics (including medical research), biotechnology, gene technology, and laboratory animal sciences. These function under three different ministries: the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (health care, biotechnology and gene technology), the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The latter two share the responsibility over the promotion of animal welfare and education on responsible handling of laboratory animals. Furthermore, there is a statutory network of regional ethics committees that review protocols for medical research and institutional ethics committees that assist institutions and individual researchers in adhering to the highest professional standards on a voluntary basis.

For the efficient functioning of the network of ethics committees described above, it is elementary to have fluent communication between the different organisations and good opportunities for cooperation. At the national level, the chair persons of the advisory boards hold regular bi-annual meetings supplemented by active cooperation of the secretariat. The benefits of diversity include maximising the comprehension of multiple ethical issues via the widened expertise, and the increased visibility, trust and authority created by the synergy.

National Advisory Board on Research Ethics

The National Advisory Board on Research Ethics (TENK) was founded in 1991 to foster research ethics in Finland (Decree 1347 of 15 November 1991). It was the first advisory board to be founded in research ethics, and initially the scope of its duties was very broad. Subsequently, when specialist advisory boards in these areas were founded in e.g. biotechnology and medicine, issues related to these areas have been delegated to the appropriate bodies. However, all matters related to research integrity (e.g. responsible conduct of research and prevention and handling of fraud and misconduct in science) are handled by the National Advisory Board on Research Ethics. Hence, the members of the board represent a wide variety of disciplines and the major public funding agencies.

The most important task of the Board has been to devise the guidelines for Good scientific practice and procedures for handling misconduct and fraud in science. The Board promotes research integrity by:

• disseminating information and arranging seminars on the principles of good scientific practice;
• assisting research institutes in providing education on research ethics;
• developing and monitoring the investigation of misconduct and fraud in research;
• developing a distinct profile in disseminating public information about research ethics; and
• contributing actively to Finnish and international debate on research ethics.

Currently, the Board’s activity is focused on ethical issues relating to the humanities and social sciences. This includes evaluating the role of ethical guidelines and possible introduction of a systematic model for ethical review of research protocols also for non-medical research on humans, and strengthening the structures for an ethically sound research community in general.

Finnish National Advisory Board on Biotechnology

The primary task of the Finnish National Advisory Board on Biotechnology (BTNK), attached to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, is to consider ethical issues, follow public debate on bio- and gene technology and to promote public participation and perception of gene technology. The duties of BTNK are defined in Gene technology decree (928/2004; http://www.finlex.fi/en/).  BTNK does not give legally binding decisions, but may issue opinions by request or on its own initiative. Members of BTNK represent authorities most relevant to the control of gene technology, representative organizations of trade, consumers and industry, as well as research in the various fields of gene technology.

Currently BTNK has broadened the view from agricultural bio- and gene technology (green biotechnology) to medical (red biotechnology) and industrial biotechnologies (white biotechnology). These activities have demonstrated the importance of dialogue between different interest groups, e.g. the use of food crops for energy production have ethical dimensions that need to be explored. Raising public awareness of the diversity of biotechnological applications is also considered a means to move on from the dead-ended discussions with gmo-issues shadowing a fruitful discussion on the other applications of biotechnology.

Board for Gene Technology

In Finland the use of genetically modified organisms is regulated by the Gene Technology Act (377/1995). The Board for Gene Technology (GTLK) which is subordinated to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is the competent authority established by the Act. The Board is appointed for five years by the Government. The members represent the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the Ministry of the Environment among others. Ethical expertise must also be represented. The priorities of the Board include processing notifications concerning the use and release of genetically modified organisms as defined by the Act and to lead and co-ordinate the supervision of compliance with the Act.

National Advisory Board on Health Care Ethics

National Advisory Board on Health Care Ethics (ETENE) was established in 1998 by incorporating the Board into the Act on the Status and Rights of Patients (amendment 330/1998 of 15 May 1998). The Government appoints the Board for a four-year term. The members of the Board represent healthcare service users and providers, healthcare professionals, and representatives of various scientific disciplines such as law, medicine, nursing science and ethics and additionally four Members of Parliament. ETENE handles ethical issues and aims to promote societal discussion relating to healthcare and the status and rights of patients on principal level, providing expert assistance with the development of healthcare legislation and collects and distributes information on ethical issues and international ethical discourse relating to healthcare. It can issue statements and recommendations and propose initiatives on issues it considers important.

Central issues in ETENE’s work have included the realisation of patients’ rights, equity, justice and human dignity in healthcare. In 2005 the main topics was human enhancement (Publication: “Imago Dei”, Man – an image of God or a product of health care) and in 2006 need in Health Care (Publication: Needs in health care – who or what defines them?) In many of its publications ETENE has discussed equity, the right of self-determination, and ethical boundaries in healthcare.

Sub-Committee on Medical Research Ethics

According to the Medical Research Act (488/1999, amended 295/2004) the independent Ethics Committees are responsible for ethical pre-evaluation of medical research and their amendments. The Sub-Committee on Medical Research Ethics (TUKIJA) evaluates the ethical aspects of international multicentre trials on Medicinal Products. It can also delegate that duty to the Hospital District Ethics Committee. As a national Research Ethics Committee TUKIJA also supports the Ethics Committees of Hospital Districts in fundamental ethical issues concerning medical or other health care research and assists in arranging training on these issues. A research proposal which has been given a negative opinion by a local Ethics Committee can be sent to TUKIJA for revaluation.

TUKIJA was first established in 1999 and it is nominated by Ministry of Social Affairs and Health for four years mandate. The Ethics Committees of Hospital Districts are appointed by Hospital Districts and they are registered by provincial state officers. The members of Ethics Committees work complying with the principles of official accountability and confidentiality. Additionally, some research institutes have Ethics Committees or Working Groups of their own to evaluate the kind of research on humans that is not covered by the Medical Research Act – such as surveys and questionnaires.

Cooperation Group for Laboratory Animal Sciences

The Cooperation Group for Laboratory Animal Sciences (KYTÖ) was founded in 2001 as a cooperative assignment of the ministries of Agriculture and Forestry and Education to deal with questions concerning to animal experimentation. The cooperation group which is nominated for a term of three years at a time consists of members representing universities, research organisations, industry and governmental authorities. The task of the cooperation group is to coordinate research, education and other activities in the field; to promote laboratory animal welfare and discussion on ethical considerations in laboratory animal sciences; to promote high educational standards at all levels of animal care and research and to raise awareness and increase information available to the general public about laboratory animal sciences.

The revised Act on Animal Experimentation (62/2006) was implemented in 2006. The competent authority established by the Act is the Committee on Animal Experimentation which is appointed for a five year period by the Government. The members represent scientific knowledge, veterinary expertise, expertise on care of laboratory animals and expertise of animal protection or on ethical issues.

Ritva Halila, Reetta Kettunen, Elina Kiviharju, Outi Konttinen, Sari Löytökorpi, Kai Pelkonen, Irma Salovuori

First published in Ethically speaking (8) pp. 24-27, 2007.

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