The world conference on “Ethics, research and globalization” was held in Brussels on 14 and 15 May. It was sponsored by the European Commission. Delegates included representatives of such international organizations as the Council of Europe, UNESCO, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Programme for the fight against AIDS, as well as of many research and institutes, universities and pharmaceutical industries in the developing countries. The main aim of the conference was the exchange of information and the sharing of good practices in relation to the procedures used for the analysis of the ethical aspects linked to the allocation and administration of funds for research. More specifically, four projects financed by Brussels were presented at the conference: they are aimed at supporting the development of minimum ethical standards for global research (in the sectors of the genome, ethics in Africa, the creation of ethical committees for research with the WHO and the definition of the international legislative framework for the ethical regulation of research on the genome). The conclusions of the conference will be used by the European Commission as policy input in four areas: improvement of cooperation between the European and international institutions; projects of the 7th Framework Programme of Technological Research and Development; exchange of experiences and good practices; and confirmation of existing networks in collaboration with the Forum of the National Committees of (bio)ethics and the European Network of Ethical Committees of Research.
