Central Ethical Committee

Mission
The Central Ethical Committee (CEC) anticipates and discusses ethical problems arising in the field of medicine. Its activities are oriented towards developments at the national and international levels and it promotes the exchange of information and collaboration with related institutions.

The CEC formulates ethical guidelines as support for medical practice or biomedical research. It also comments on medical-ethical questions that are brought to the attention of the SAMS on the basis of current events or by public or private institutions or by individuals.

Composition of the Committee

Prof. Christian Kind, St. Gallen (President)
PD Dr. Markus Zimmermann-Acklin, Fribourg (Vice-President)
Dr. Hermann Amstad, Basel (ex officio)
Prof. Nikola Biller-Andorno, Zurich
Dr. Thomas Bischoff, Lausanne
PD Dr. Georg Bosshard, Zurich
Dr. Nicole Bürki, Liestal
Dr. Monique Gauthey, Geneva
Dr. Bruno Gravier, Lausanne
Dr. Daniel Grob, Zurich
Dr. Samia Hurst, Geneva
Dr. Roland Kunz, Affoltern am Albis
lic. theol. Settimo Monteverde, Basel
Dr. Valdo Pezzoli, Lugano
Dr. Fritz Ramseier, Königsfelden
PD Dr. Bara Ricou, Geneva
lic. iur. Michelle Salathé, Basel (ex officio)
Prof. Dominique Sprumont, Neuchâtel
Dr. Susanna Stöhr, Basel
Prof. Peter Suter, Geneva (ex officio)
Dr. John-Paul Vader, Lausanne
Marianne Wälti-Bolliger, Delémont
Dr. Philipp Weiss, Basel

Working procedure
The Central Ethical Committee discusses newly arising questions in the field of medical ethics. It meets as often as is required by its various companies, as a rule five times a year. In the framework of these meetings it invites guest-speakers to speak on a particular current subject, discusses new areas where medical-ethical problems arise, and advises on necessary revisions of existing guidelines or the drawing-up of new guidelines.

For the drawing-up of guidelines, the CEC appoints an interdisciplinary sub-committee. This sub-committee as a rule produces a draft version within one year, which after it has been passed by the CEC is then passed on to the Board of Administration and the Senate of the SAMS, for their approval.

The draft of the guidelines is submitted to the persons, organisations and institutions concerned for their comments and is subject to an official notification for approval. The subcommittee checks the various comments received and takes these into account as far as this is possible and useful.

After agreement by the CEC and the Board of Administration, the revised version is submitted to the Senate of the SAMS for definitive approval; the final version is then published in the Swiss Medical Journal (Schweizerische Ärztezeitung).