At the plenary meeting of the GDK in 2023, the association of research ethics committees swissethics has received a mandate from the Cantons. This mandate includes the recognition of swissethics as the coordinating body of the ethics committees and as a reliable partner and contact point for the general public. Furthermore, the mandate defines the responsibilities for education and training of members of the ethics committees as well as for the electronic portal BASEC (link). This mandate also creates the basis for swissethics to be entrusted with tasks of the FOPH within the framework of the revision of the ordinances of the Human Research Act, HRA. Newly and generally, this strengthens the competence of the association by responsibility for core areas in human research.

Mandate of the Conference of the Cantonal Ministers of Public Health (link to the mandate in German, link to the mandate in French).