Since 2015, the Institut Pasteur has established an Ethics Unit in charge of supporting researchers in their projects in order to better meet the ethical international standards and requirements.
OUR FIELDS OF ACTION: THE ETHICS OF RESEARCH
The ethics of research covers all clinical research involving humans. A clinical research is defined as such since a study is carried out directly on the person or indirectly via their human biological samples, and / or personal data. The ethics of research aims to protect the needs and rights of persons who gave their consent to participate in a clinical study (the participants) and to assess the risks and benefits for them and for society.
The ethics of research draws on philosophical and normative reflections in bioethics. It also overlaps certain principles relating to the integrity of the research, which defines the professional codes and practices which researchers are subject to in their activity.
OUR MISSIONS
- To ensure the protection of research participants (individual rights, physical and mental integrity).
- To contribute to the respect of ethical standards, recognized and shared at the international level, in the field of clinical research
- To support the General Direction and the various branches of the Institute in the assessment and management of ethical risks/issues specifically related to research on human beings, on human biological samples and personal data.
- To promote a general frame of reflexion in favor of a responsible research whether basic or applied.
OUR ACTIVITIES
- Evaluation of research protocols
- Advice and Analysis of ethical risks
- Training and Sensitization
- Specific Expertise in ethics of research and bioethics
- Capacity building to other Ethics Committees
OUR RESEARCH ETHICS COMMITTEES
The IRB (Institutional Review Board)
Since 2009, the Institut Pasteur has set up an Institutional Review Board – accredited by the US federal authorities. The committee, which meets monthly, is responsible for evaluating ethical research protocols that are submitted by Pasteur researchers. Composed of 12 internal and external members of the Institute, it gives an ethical opinion, which is valid for a period up to 12 months, renewable annually.
Contact: irb@pasteur.fr
The ETHICS BOARD FOR EUROPEAN CONTRACTS
The Ethics Board for European Contracts is an ethics committee created specifically to monitor research involving human beings in the context of projects financed by the European Commission and coordinated by Institut Pasteur. This committee is composed of 12 members, with an equal number of internal and external members to the Institute. This committee meets periodically, and delivers an ethics report to the European Commission, in response to its request.
Contact: ethicsboard@pasteur.fr
