Ethics Working Party
Scientific collaboration is a key aspect of the globalization of research. It is essential for the feasibility of any international collaborative project such as the International Stem Cell Forum (ISCF). The ISCF is composed of twenty-one partners and research funding institutions from around the world. It faces the challenge of conflicting regulatory and policy approaches regarding the exchange of materials and data adopted by its various partners. The divergent policy frameworks and governing regulations affect the permissibility of conducting stem cell research (i.e. procurement, derivation, banking, distribution and use of stem cell lines) and thus, they could potentially inhibit collaboration at the national and international level.
The Ethics Working Party (EWP) initiative was set up on behalf of the International Stem Cell Forum by its Canadian member organization, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). The EWP is comprised of independent experts in the area, which are appointed by each of the Forum's member organizations. It is chaired by Dr. Bartha Maria Knoppers and its Secretariat is housed at the Centre de recherche en droit public (CRDP) at the Faculty of Law of the Université de Montréal. The primary purpose of the Ethics Working Party is to assist member countries to undertake stem cell research within a transparent and well-consider ethical framework. The EWP seeks to identify prospective strategies to foster the scientific and ethical integrity of research in a global context.
Please select one of the following links to find out more information about the Ethics Working Party:
