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- Title
Los comités de ética clínica en México: la ambigua frontera entre la ética asistencial y la ética en investigación clínica.
- Authors
Valdez-Martínez, Edith; Lifshitz-Guinzberg, Alberto; Medesigo-Micete, José; Bedolla, Miguel
- Abstract
Objective. To identify ethics committees in medical practice in Mexico and possible implications stemming from their composition and functions. Methods. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted from January-December 2005. A survey was sent by e-mail to the hospitals and family medicine centers with at 10 practices within the Mexican Institute for Social Security (Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social) (n = 437) and the Institute for Security and Social Services for State Employees (Seguridad y Servicios Sociales de los Trabajadores del Estado) (n = 167) and to the Mexican Ministry of Health's most important health care centers (n = 15). The following items were analyzed: name of the committee, date of formation, current status, composition, functions, and level of authority. Results. In all, 116 committees were identified, with various names. Of these, 101 (87.1%) were active. The committees were formed from 1985-2006, with a spike occurring in 2004-2005. Of the active committees, 59 (58.4%) were charged with ethical problems/dilemmas related to clinical practice as well as those related to research projects. Of the committee members, 357 (59.0%) held managing positions in the establishment to which the committee pertained; most were medical professionals (71.5%), followed by nursing staff (11.9%). Among the members of the active committees, 77.9% had not received training in ethics. Conclusions. Legal conflicts can be expected, mainly within the organizations whose committees have the authority to determine a course of action. An integrated plan is needed that will set standards for the composition and proceedings of Mexico's ethics committees and the improved training of committee members.
- Subjects
MEXICO; MEDICAL ethics; RESEARCH ethics; PROFESSIONAL ethics; ETHICS committees
- Publication
Pan American Journal of Public Health / Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública, 2008, Vol 24, Issue 2, p85
- ISSN
1020-4989
- Publication type
Article