Federal ethics committee for biotechnology in the non-human area
The Federal Ethics Commission for Biotechnology in the Extra- Human Sector (ECNH) ( French Commission fédérale d'éthique pour la biotechnologie dans le domaine non humain , Italian Commissione federale d'etica per la biotecnologia nel settore non umano ) is, according to Art. 23 of the Federal Act on the Genetic engineering in the non-human area has an advisory extra-parliamentary administrative commission. It advises the Federal Council and the federal and cantonal authorities on legislation and on the implementation of decrees in the field of non-human biotechnology . The commission was set up on April 27, 1998 by the Federal Council. Administratively, it is assigned to the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) in the Department for the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communication (DETEC).
mandate
The commission monitors and assesses the developments and applications of biotechnology from an ethical point of view and takes a position on related scientific and social issues from an ethical point of view. She advises
- a. the Federal Council when issuing regulations
- b. the federal and cantonal authorities in enforcement. In particular, it gives its opinion on license applications or research projects of fundamental or exemplary importance; for this purpose it can inspect documents, collect information and call in other experts.
It works with other federal and cantonal commissions that deal with issues relating to biotechnology . She conducts a dialogue with the public on ethical issues in biotechnology. It reports periodically to the Federal Council on its activities.
Members
The commission is composed of 12 experts in ethics from outside the administration as well as other persons from other disciplines who have scientific or practical knowledge of ethics. Different ethical approaches must be represented in the commission.
The members of the commission are elected by the Federal Council for a legislative period of four years.
- Klaus Peter Rippe (President), Professor of Practical Philosophy, Rector of the Karlsruhe University of Education (D) and Head of the “ethik im diskurs” office, Zurich
- Markus Arnold, ethics lecturer and head of studies at the Religious Education Institute of the University of Lucerne
- Monika Betzler , Professor of Practical Philosophy and Ethics at the Ludwig Maximilians University in Munich
- Christine Clavien, Maître d'Enseignement et de Recherche (MER) for Philosophy at the Institut Éthique Histoire Humanités (iEH2) at the University of Geneva
- Eva Gelinksy, Research Associate at ProSpecieRara, Member of the Interest Group for GMO-Free Seed Work (IG Saatgut)
- Greta Guarda, Assistant Professor of Biology at the Faculty of Biology and Medicine at the University of Lausanne
- Gérald Hess, Maître d'Enseignement et de Recherche (MER) for ethics and environmental philosophy at the Faculty of Earth Sciences and Environment at the University of Lausanne
- Tosso Leeb, Professor of Veterinary Genetics and Animal Breeding and Director of the Institute for Genetics at the Vetsuisse Faculty of the University of Bern
- Matthias Mahlmann : Professor of Legal Theory, Legal Sociology and International Public Law at the Law Institute of the University of Zurich
- Jean-Marc Neuhaus, Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Botanical Institute of the University of Neuchâtel
- Otto Schäfer, representative for theology and ethics of the Swiss Evangelical Church Federation (SEK / FEPS) in Bern
- Markus Wild , professor of theoretical philosophy at the Philosophical Seminar at the University of Basel
office
The Commission is supported by a scientific secretariat. The secretariat is technically subordinate to the Presidium of the Commission and administratively assigned to the Federal Office for the Environment.
Publications
The main opinions of the Commission
- The dignity of the animal, a joint statement of the Federal Ethics Commission for Genetic Engineering in the Extra-Human Area and the Federal Commission for Animal Experiments on the specification of the dignity of creatures in animals, 2001.
- Patents on Animals and Plants - A Contribution to the Discussion, 2001.
- Genetic engineering for food - Ethical considerations for placing food and feed on the market, 2003.
- Genetic Engineering and Developing Countries - A Contribution to the Discussion from an Ethical Perspective, 2004.
- Research on primates - An ethical assessment, report of the Federal Commission for Animal Experiments and the Federal Ethics Commission for Biotechnology in the Extra-Human Sector, 2006.
- The dignity of creatures in plants. The moral consideration of plants for their own sake, 2008.
- Synthetic biology. Ethical Considerations, 2010.
- Release of genetically modified plants - ethical requirements, 2012.
- Ethical treatment of fish, 2014.
- Freedom of research and biosecurity - Ethical considerations using the example of dual use research of concern, 2015.
- New Plant Breeding Techniques - Ethical Considerations, 2016.
Book series «Contributions to Ethics and Biotechnology»
In the “Contributions to Ethics and Biotechnology” series, expert reports are published that were written on behalf of the Federal Ethics Commission for biotechnology in the non-human area. They provide the basis for dealing with the ethical aspects of biotechnology and serve as working papers for the commission.
- Volume 1: Andreas Bachmann, Nano (bio) technology - An ethical interpretation, 2006.
- Volume 2: Jürg Stöcklin , The Plant - Modern Concepts in Biology, 2007.
- Volume 3: Andreas Brenner, Life - A Philosophical Investigation, 2007.
- Volume 4: Benjamin Rath, Ethics of Risk - Concepts, Situations, Decision Theories and Aspects, 2008.
- Volume 5: Joachim Boldt, Oliver Müller, Giovanni Maio , Synthetic Biology - An Ethical-Philosophical Analysis, 2009.
- Volume 6: Bernard Baertschi. La vie artificial. Le statut moral des êtres vivants artificiels, 2009.
- Volume 7: Arianna Ferrari, Christopher Coenen, Armin Grunwald, Arnold Sauter, Animal Enhancement - New technical possibilities and ethical questions, 2010.
- Volume 8: Peter Kunzmann, Nikolaus Knoepffler, Primaten - Your Moral Status, 2011.
- Volume 9: Helmut Segner, Fish - Nociception and pain. A biological perspective, 2012.
- Volume 10: Markus Wild, Pisces - Cognition, Consciousness and Pain. A Philosophical Perspective, 2012.
- Volume 11: Biosecurity and freedom of publication - The publication of sensitive research data in the area of tension between freedom and security. A fundamental rights analysis, 2014.
various
In October 2008 the commission received the Peace Ig Nobel Prize for its report "Dignity of Creatures in Plants - The Moral Consideration of Plants for Their Sake".