Canadian Bioethics Report

January 1997

Agencies and Organizations

Previously Featured:

  • Alberta Provincial Health Ethics Network (July 1996)
  • Alzheimer Society of Canada (July 1996)
  • Canadian Bar Association (January 1995)
  • Canadian Cardiovascular Society (April 1995)
  • Canadian Nurses Association (July 1995)
  • Canadian Society for the Study of Practical Ethics (October 1995)
  • Clinical Trials Research Group (July 1996)
  • Collège des Médecins du Québec (July 1996)
  • College of Family Physicians of Canada (October 1995)
  • College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (July 1996)
  • Ethics and the Crisis in Healthcare Organization (October 1995)
  • Ethics Practitioners' Association of Canada (January 1996)
  • Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences in Ontario (April 1996)
  • Minister's Advisory Committee on Ethical Issues in Health Care, BC Ministry of Health and Ministry Responsible for Seniors (July 1996)
  • Multiple Organ Retrieval & Exchange Program of Ontario (April 1995)
  • National Forum on Health (October 1995)
  • Project on Legal and Ethical Issues Raised by HIV/AIDS (July 1996)
  • Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (July 1996)
  • Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (April 1995)
  • Tri-Council Working Group on the Ethics of Research Involoving Humans (October 1996)

Canadian Bioethics Society (CBS)

The 1996 conference of the CBS took place in Montreal from October 17-20. Attendance was approximately 350. The theme, "Deciding for Others: Power, Politics & Ethics," was addressed in five plenary panel discussions on the following topics: medical futility, professional conflicts - their impact on decisions for others, the role of the family, the shift to community and home care, and the Tri-Council's Code of Conduct for Research Involving Humans.

At the CBS business meeting, Michael Coughlin, Ph.D., clinical ethicist at St. Joseph's Hospital, Hamilton, assumed the presidency for 1996-97. Douglas Kinsella, M.D., Director, Office of Medical Bioethics, University of Calgary, was elected president for 1997-98. Other members of the executive are: Sr. Nuala Kenny, M.D., past-president; Cate McBurney, communications officer; Shirley Casavant, administrative associate; Vangie Bergum, Robert Florida and Kathleen Glass, members-at-large, and Lorraine Hardingham, student member.

The 1997 conference will take place in Halifax, Oct. 16-19. The theme will be "Bioethics as an Interdisciplinary Endeavour." Further information about the CBS and its activities can be obtained from Shirley Casavant, 142 Village Dr., Sherwood Park, AB T8A 4M4; tel/fax (403) 464-4939.

Canadian Medical Association (CMA)

In December the CMA Board of Directors determined the major priorities for the Association's activities in 1997. Those that involve ethics are the following: reproductive technologies (Bill C-47), the goals of medicine/roles of physicians/scope of practice, future of the Canadian health care system, and the development of a model protocol for resolving conflicts in health care decision making (with the Canadian Nurses Association and the Catholic Health Association of Canada).

For further information about CMA ethics activities contact: Director of Ethics, tel (800) 663-7336 or (613) 731-8610, ext. 2204, fax (613) 731-1779, email: ethics@cma.ca

National Council on Bioethics in Human Research (NCBHR)

In October NCBHR published a report prepared for it by Louis-Nicolas Fortin and Thérèse Leroux of le Centre de recherche en droit public, Université de Montréal, entitled, Reflections on Monitoring Ethics Review of Research with Human Subjects in Canada (French version: Éléments de réflexion sur la surveillance du contrôle éthique de la recherche chez les sujets humains au Canada). This 37 page document consists of four main sections: a description of mechanisms for monitoring ethics committees in the United States, France and Canada (animal care); a review of Canadian and Quebec initiatives on this issue (NCBHR itself, the Tri-Council Report, the Quebec Civil Code and the Deschamps Report in Quebec); a discussion of four intervention alternatives: informal visits, visits within a formal framework, accreditation or certification, and power to investigate; and a critique of these alternatives. The strengths and weaknesses of each alternative are presented, but no conclusions are drawn as to which is superior.

The December 1996 number of NCBHR Communiqué (7/2) is accompanied by a supplement, "Facilitating Ethical Research: Promoting Informed Choice -- Discussion Document" (French version: Favoriser l'éthique dans la recherche: promouvoir un choix informé -- Document de discussion). This document was produced by NCBHR's Working Committee on Consent. It contains sections on consent as an ethical imperative, competence, disclosure, voluntariness, sample consent forms, and a select bibliography.

For further information contact Dr. Pierre-Paul Demers, M.D., Acting Director, NCBHR, 774 Echo Drive, Ottawa, ON K1S 5N8, tel (613) 730-6225, fax (613) 730-8251.

Réseau d'éthique clinique chez l'humain [Quebec Network for Clinical Ethics]

Two local groupes de réflexion en éthique have been established within the Network: one in Québec and the other in Montréal. The Québec groupe has three goals: to promote discussion and collaboration among health care providers and persons interested in ethics; to intensify contacts between clinicians and researchers; and to stimulate the development of ethics in research, education and clinical practice. The Montréal groupe meets every two months for case discussions. One case is presented each time, followed by three commentaries and open discussion.

The Network has three main priorities for 1997: its first annual colloque on research in clinical ethics, to be held February 21; the construction of its web site; and the preparation of a volume in the Center for Bioethics' Les Annales d'éthique clinique series (Collection Panaetius).

For further information about the Network contact the coordinator, Dr. David J. Roy, Center for Bioethics, Clinical Research Institute of Montreal, 110 Pine Ave. West, Montreal, QC H2W 1R7, tel (514) 987-5615, fax (514) 987-5695, E-mail: royd@ircm.umontreal.ca

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