Ethics Committee

CEIPC Scope

CEIPC Scope:

1 – It is CEIPC’s responsibility to ensure and analyse matters that raise ethical problems in the scope of actions, responsibilities and internal and external relationships of Teaching and Research Organic Units which integrate IPC as well as the conduct of its members, namely when they concern teaching, research, extension activities or other academic activities on which CEIPC may express its opinion and that may have general interest for IPC.

2 – In its capacity, the CEIPC shall take into consideration the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, the provisions of Law 58/2019 of August 8th, Law 21/2014 of April 16th, Decree-Law no. 113/2013, of August 7th, as amended by Decree-Law no.No. 1/2019, of January 10th, which transposes Directive 2010/63/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 September 2010 on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes, in Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of April 27th, 2016 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, in Decree-Law 80/2018, of October 15th, and other applicable Law, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Unesco Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights, the Helsinki Declaration, international conventions, the recommendations of the National Ethics Council for Life Sciences (CNECV), the National Data Protection Commission (CNPD) and also the provisions of professional codes of ethics, as well as the content of existing national or international declarations and guidelines on the matters under analysis.

3 – To ensure compliance with the rules on the provision of free and informed consent in scientific research activities, in relation to people participating in research projects and in diagnostic, therapeutic and experimental laboratory tests, as well as in the case of any collection of biological material for storage and/or testing of biological data.

4 – CEIPC is responsible for research work performed at IPC’s Teaching and Research Organic Units and, in particular, those involving, in any form, people, animals or biological material of human or animal origin.

5 – CEIPC analyses the issues arising from IPC units or members addressed to it, without prejudice to, on its own initiative, producing opinions, recommendations and other documentation on matters within its competence.

6 – It is the CEIPC’s responsibility to adopt and require the models of requests, free and informed consent, monitoring reports and final reports, as well as other requirements it deems essential for the assessment, follow-up and monitoring of the requests submitted to it, including mandatory forms to be filled out, previously and duly divulged in the IPC’s portal.

7 – It is CEIPC’s responsibility to pronounce itself, at the request of IPC’s Teaching and Research Organic Units, Presidents and members of IPC’s educational community on any issues that raise ethical problems.

8 – CEIPC shall be responsible for giving its opinion on scientific research protocols signed within the scope of the institution and for directly or indirectly following up and monitoring their execution, namely those relating to diagnostic, therapeutic and experimental laboratory tests, including epidemiological and population research studies.

9 – CEIPC shall be responsible for deciding on the transfer of samples of biological material to other national or foreign entities.

10 – The CEIPC is responsible for pronouncing on the constitution of data banks with information gathered in investigations that describe a certain population and their possible transfer.

11 – CEIPC shall be responsible for pronouncing on the revocation or suspension of authorisation to conduct tests within the scope of research protocols.

12 – CEIPC shall be responsible for promoting dissemination of general ethical principles among IPC professionals and students by the means deemed appropriate, namely through studies, opinions, guidelines and other documents.

13 – It is CEIPC’s duty to analyse the requests for advice coming from Teaching and Research Organic Units or members of IPC’s educational community.

14 – Without prejudice to the previous number, the opinions issued by CEIPC referring to research projects or works to be carried out in collaboration with institutions outside IPC that have their own Ethics Committee, even if related to requests from Teaching and Research Organic Units or members of IPC’s educational community, do not exempt the request for an opinion from the Ethics Committees of those institutions.

15 – The CEIPC shall not undertake legal or disciplinary assessments, notwithstanding the fact that it may be requested to give its opinion with a view to conducting legal or disciplinary proceedings.

16 – When it deems necessary, the CEIPC may request from third parties all the information it deems relevant and that pertains to the investigation.

17 – CEIPC will seek to stimulate communication between the various Teaching and Research Organic Units of the IPC, as well as to promote uniformity of criteria among them.

18 – It is CEIPC’s responsibility to make changes to its regulations and submit them for approval to the IPC President, in accordance with the provisions of article 17 of the regulations and paragraph 9 of article 9 of Decree-Law 80/2018, of October 15th.

19 – CEIPC shall promote an attitude of regular reflection and deepening of the ethical questions raised within the scope of requests for opinions that are submitted to it, or other matters within the scope of its competencies.

Independence and impartiality of the CEIPC

Independence and impartiality of the CEIPC

In its capacity, the CEIPC acts with complete independence and impartiality in relation to the governing or management bodies of the IPC and of the IPC’s organic units.