title: Science and conscience.
abstract: Many historical facts, describing exploitation and discrimination of research subjects which have been justified by the importance of research aims, are known. Today the protection of the rights and safety of persons involved in biomedical research (research subjects) is the necessary precondition for contemporary biomedical researches and correspondingly, development of the science. An integral responsibility of researchers working in the field of biomedicine is to ensure the protection of safety and rights of research subjects. In Europe, as well as other countries of developed and partly in developing world, there is a relevant legislative basis of international agreements and national legislation which aims at protecting the research subject. Georgia possesses considerable legislative basis in this field which includes two obligatory instruments of Council of Europe and two national laws. Relevant legislation and ethical evaluation of biomedical research protocols involving human subjects by research ethics committees is an effective mechanism for protection of a research subject's safety and rights. In Georgia there already exist biomedical research ethics committees. Further, their amalgamation is necessary to increase their competence and regularity of activities through increasing the number of submitted research protocols as well as re-distribution of expertise (3-5 committees instead of existing 15-20 or more committees). All the researchers participating in biomedical research shall be educated on the issues of protection of rights of research subjects and contemporary principles of bioethics. The latter shall become an inseparable part of professional competence of researchers for which it is necessary to prepare and put into practice special training programmes (mural as well as distant courses).
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Javashvili
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kiknadze
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kurtanidze
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000941:ethics*; D003242:Conscience; D005846:Georgia (Republic); D006805:Human Experimentation / Q000941:ethics*; D006801:Humans; D035842:Research Subjects; D012586:Science / Q000941:ethics*