Academic Exchange at WFAS Turkey 2019 and Review of RCTs Conducted in China / 全日本鍼灸学会雑誌

The WFAS Annual Conference 2019 was held between November 14th and 17th at Kaya Palazzo Hotel, Antalya, Turkey. The WFAS executive committee was convened on the 14th. In the EC (Executive Committee) meeting, the JSAM proposed inclusion of the Declaration of Helsinki (DoH) in the WFAS Code of Ethics. Other issues discussed in the EC meeting included approval of the special consultative status by the the United Nations ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council) and preparation of the next WFAS symposium in the Netherlands in 2020. Individual presentations and other exhibitions in the symposium are also introduced in the present report. In addition, recent large-scale RCTs of acupuncture conducted in China were reviewed.

The Revision and Significance of 2013 Declaration of Helsinki / 中国医学伦理学

The new revision of Declaration of Helsinki in 2013 has adjusted the structure, added or deleted some provisions on the content and modification, and modificated on the details of some words.Revision of the new version has improved the architecture, perfected the content of the declaration, strengthened the protection of the subjects, increased demand for researchers, and cleared the duty of country, research institutions and bidders.The enlighten-ment to our country are:constantly revised involving human clinical trials of the relevant laws and regulations , to pro-tect rights and interests of the subjects;National obligations for protection of the subjects, clinical trials explore the establishment of national compensation system;Ethics committee responsibilities and clearly positioning, exploring to establish an independent ethical review body.

O placebo e a Declaração de Pachuca: letras mortas? / The placebo and the Declaration of Pachuca: dead letters?

A Confederação Médica Latino-Americana e do Caribe, organização que congrega as entidades congêneres dos países da região, atua em defesa da profissão médica e da saúde da população, guiando-se por documentos internacionais. Em sua Assembleia Geral (Pachuca, México; 2013) foi aprovada a Declaração de Pachuca, com severas críticas à revisão da Declaração de Helsinki ocorrida no Brasil e aos ensaios clínicos que usam placebo em doenças com tratamento definido. O tom duro e enérgico dessa Declaração propõe que entidades-membro denunciem os abusos éticos em todos os foros e aos governantes, e que atuem impedindo o uso do placebo nessas condições. Tais recomendações encontram respaldo no movimento mundial sobre integridade e ética na pesquisa. Conclui-se pela importância do papel educativo dos órgãos de fiscalização ética da medicina, alertando-se os médicos que infringirem essa orientação, a qual também integra o Código de Ética Médica, de que estarão sujeitos a processo ético-profissional...

The Latin American and Caribbean Medical Confederation (CONFEMEL), an organization that brings together related organizations from countries of the region, works on behalf of the medical profession and the population's health guided by international documents. During its General Assembly (Pachuca, Mexico; 2013) the Declaration of Pachuca was approved with strong critics regarding the review of the Declaration of Helsinki that occurred in Brazil and the issue of clinical trials that use placebo in diseases with known treatment. The strong and energetic tone of this Declaration proposes that member entities condemn ethical abuses in all forums and also to administrations so that they engage against the use of placebo in these conditions. These recommendations are supported in the global movement on Integrity and Ethics in Research. The conclusion addresses the importance of the educative role of ethical supervision of Medicine warning physicians who violate these guidelines, which are also incorporated in the Code of Medical Ethics, that they will be subjected to ethical-professional process...

La Confederación Médica Latinoamericana y del Caribe (CONFEMEL), una organización que reúne a instituciones similares de los países de la región, actúa en defensa de la profesión médica y salud de la población, guiándose por los documentos internacionales. En su Asamblea General (Pachuca, México; 2013) se aprobó la Declaración de Pachuca con duras críticas a la revisión de la Declaración de Helsinki que tuvo lugar en Brasil y a los ensayos clínicos que utilizan placebo en enfermedades con tratamiento conocido. El tono duro y enérgico de tal Declaración propone que las entidades-miembros a denunciar los abusos éticos en todos los foros y a los gobernantes, y que actúen impidiendo el uso del placebo en estas circunstancias. Estas recomendaciones se apoyan en el movimiento mundial sobre Integridad y ética en la investigación. Se concluye sobre la importancia del papel educativo de los órganos de supervisión ética da medicina, alertando a los médicos que violen esta norma, que también está contemplada en el Código de Ética Médica, que estarán sujetos a proceso ético-profesional...

De Helsinki à Fortaleza: uma declaração dessangrada / De Helsinki a Fortaleza: una Declaración desangrada / From Helsinki to Fortaleza: a bled declaration

La Declaración de Helsinki 1964 ha sido sometida a numerosas revisiones y enmiendas, la más reciente siendo Fortaleza (2013), una frecuencia considerada necesaria dado los avances de la medicina contemporánea, pero también criticada por restarle estabilidad y autoridad al documento. La versión de Edimburgo (2000) enfatizó la tolerancia al uso de placebos y restó apoyo de los beneficios post-estudio para los probandos y la comunidad huésped, pese a los esfuerzos de Argentina y Brasil por robustecer la protección de las personas incorporadas a los estudios. Queda aceptado - de hecho - el doble estándar en la ética de investigación que debilita la Declaración como normativa ética de la investigación con seres humanos. La dominancia acentuada de los intereses corporativos de investigadores y patrocinadores sugiere que la bioética latinoamericana debiera desarrollar su propio documento normativo, en respeto a nuestra realidad social, y enfocado a la protección de las comunidades de la región...

A Declaração de Helsinki de 1964 vem sendo submetida a numerosas revisões e emendas, sendo a mais recente a de Fortaleza (2013). A frequência dessas reformulações tem sido considerada necessária, dados os avanços da medicina contemporânea, mas também criticada por conferir pouca estabilidade e autoridade ao documento. A versão de Edimburgo (2000) marcou a política de tolerância ao uso de placebo e de escasso apoio aos benefícios pós-estudo aos sujeitos e à comunidade, desestimulando os esforços da Argentina e Brasil para reforçar a proteção aos participantes dos estudos. Se aceita assim - de fato - o duplo standart em ética em pesquisa, que de forma progressiva debilita a Declaração como normativa ética para a pesquisa envolvendo seres humanos. A dominação cada vez mais acentuada de interesses corporativos de investigadores e patrocinadores sugere que a bioética latino-americana deve desenvolver seu próprio documento normativo, em respeito a nossa realidade social, voltado a proteção às comunidades da região...

The original Declaration of Helsinki (1964) has been subjected to numerous revisions and reformulations, supposedly necessary to keep apace with medical progress, but in fact leading to its loss of stability and authority. The Edinburgh 2000 revision made provisions for increased tolerance in the use of placebos, and loss of commitment to assure post-investigational benefits to individuals and communities involved. In spite of Argentina's and Brazil's manifest opposition, a double standard for research ethics became a de facto reality which has increasingly weakened the Declaration. Corporative interests of major stakeholders -researchers and sponsors- have been strongly supported as the Declaration becomes less protective of individuals and communities involved. It is therefore suggested that Latin American bioethicists would be well advised to develop a regionally pertinent normative in accordance with our social reality and the need of protecting our population...

Off-label use-the problem and challenge in clinical practice in China / 中华实验眼科杂志

Unregistered drug use,also called off-label drug use,has become a universal phenomenon in clinical practice worldwide.At present,there is still no definite laws and regulations in the field of off-label medication in China.The article gives an overview about the current criterion for prescription in China,the definition of off-label use,analysis of this situation and causes,how to regulate this practice to protect the patient's rights and safety,and also doctor's rights of prescription.

Good Clinical Practice in Neonatal Clinical Research

Clinical research is a necessity, not an option, for developing better and new medicines and therapeutic modalities. But in the course of clinical research, there are rules and guidelines that should be followed to ensure the due respect for persons, beneficence, and justice for persons who voluntarily participate in the research as described in the Belmont Report. Good Clinical Practice (GCP) is an "international scientific and ethical quality standard for designing, conducting, recording, and reporting" clinical trials. The main purposes of GCP would be to protect rights, safety, and well-being of trial subjects, in compliance with the principles of Declaration of Helsinki, and to assure that the data obtained from clinical trials are credible. In order to achieve these, investigators must be fully aware of the meanings as well as actual procedures involved in the research and should make the best effort to comply with GCP. For those individuals who belong to vulnerable populations, such as neonates, in addition to the general principles of GCP, further measures to ensure added protection should be implemented. It is our duty to develop and provide better care through clinical research even for neonates. But in doing so, we have to make sure that the importance of protecting the rights, safety, and well-being of the subjects supersede the interests of science and society.

Research Ethics, Governance, Oversight And Public Interest

A better educated public has started to challenge the way decisions are made in medical research activities. Although Institutional and National Guidelines on Research are in place, there are fears that Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) and funding agencies are only fairly active in scientific and ethical reviews of research proposals but not on oversight of projects after their initiation. These issues are integral to good research governance and researchers and custodians of research ethics must ensure that public interest is not compromised. Medical progress is based on research including human experimentation carried out according to guiding principles as enunciated in the Declaration of Helsinki (2000), but the quality of compliance with the Declaration is an important issue. Better choice and appropriate training of members of IRBs to improve the quality of decision making and governance processes are urgently needed. Competency in evaluation of proposals requires not only the appropriate scientific knowledge but also access to relevant preclinical and other data. Unfortunately, the completeness and quality of such data may not be adequate. Public interest demands that injury to trial subjects in clinical trials is minimized if not avoided completely. Unfortunately this is not always possible with trials where novel biological modes of action are tested. A more robust evaluation mechanism for project approval may minimize but not completely avoid injury to subjects; thus insurance cover to provide care and compensation to subjects must be compulsory. The decision to approve or reject a project must be based on the balance of potential risks and benefits, taking into consideration justifiable distributive risks to target communities and populations. Economic considerations should never be the primary focus, especially when there are real concerns that the migration of early phase clinical trials including vaccine trials to developing countries is based on the perceived less stringent ethical requirements and oversight there.