Formal clinical ethics review first developed in the USA and most hospitals there have structures in place. This is often a clinical ethics committee. Developments have been slower in the UK, where there has been uncertainty and variability about the role of clinical ethics committees. Even in the USA, their exact role is uncertain. Although we now have a good idea of the mechanisms for ethical...

Research ethics review is an important process, designed to protect participants in medical research. However, it is increasingly criticised for failing to meet its aims. Here, two researchers reflect on their experiences of applying for ethical approval of observational research in clinical settings. They highlight some problems faced by reviewers and researchers and propose a two-stage ethica...

When several decades ago the IRB system was established trying to balance major moral consideration in research with human subjects, the main impetus were severe cases of unethical behaviour and experiences, often protected by state and institutional administration. The first phase of the IRB aimed at protecting subjects from serious hazards, while in later stages the IRB turned to „lesser risk...

Local review of research by ethics committees in the UK has long been held to be an important right of the local research ethics committee and, even with the introduction of the European Clinical Trials Directive, the governance arrangements for research ethics committees continue to allow for local review of multicentre studies. There is no requirement for local review in either the European U...

Article history: Received: 18-06-2015 Revised: 24-09-2015 Accepted: 11-11-2015

Abstract Technological advancements have generated tools to help with identifying individuals, allowing verify identities and solve crimes by confirming found missing persons or accident victims, for example. An important ethical question, however, arises: do the ends always justify means? Can facial identification from images collected closed-circuit television cameras analysis of photographic...