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Ethics in Psychiatry
While the majority of member societies have an active ethics It is interesting to note that the nature of comments in the 2005
committee, as many as 10 societies do not. As many as 14 member survey was different from that in the current survey. In 2005 our
societies do not organise courses to promote ethics. These two issues member societies were concerned with issues such as placebo
require our attention. control for depression and schizophrenia in new drug trials, dual
obligations of psychiatrists, non-therapeutic uses of psychiatric
We have attempted a comparison between the findings of our survey knowledge, consent to research, political abuse of psychiatry,
and those of a survey conducted by the previous Ethics Committee that antipsychiatry, etc. (many of these issues are covered by the latest
appeared in 2005.
4
A comparison was not really possible because of version of the Declaration of Helsinki for Medical Research).
5
differences in numbers of responding societies (20 societies in 2005 However, there are some topics that are common in the two
versus 42 this time), the fact that societies responding this time were not surveys, such as resource allocation in psychiatry.
identical to those that responded in 2005 and the different structure of
the two surveys. However, if we attempt some crude comparisons, we Conclusions
may note that with reference to undergraduate teaching of ethics, some In conclusion, the ethics survey has been of great help to the
progress has been noted (33/42 compared with 11/20), and post- 2005–2008 WPA Ethics Committee. We feel that the conclusions
graduate teaching of ethics has remained static (34/42 compared with arising from it should guide the new Ethics Committee in developing
15/20), which is also the case with the existence of an ethics committee its strategy, but it can also be helpful to mental health organisations
in the member society (30/42 compared with 15/20). and professionals in developing priorities. ■
1. Madrid Declaration on Ethical Standards for Psychiatric 3. Pallegrino E, The virtuous physician and the Ethics of Ethics, Appendix 2, 2002–2005, 2005;OGA/4.1.1.
Practice, World Psychiatric Association, www.wpanet.org medicine. In: Shelp E, Dordrecht HD (eds), Virtue and 5. World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki, Ethical
2. Mac Intyre A, The nature of the virtues, The Hastings Medicine, Reidel Publishing, 1985;237–55. Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects,
Center, 1981;11:27–34 4. WPA General Assembly, Report of Standing Committee on 2009. Available at: www.wma.net
Forthcoming Events
2009
5–7 November
2010
Advances in the Neurobiology and
2–6 September Psychopharmacology of ADHD – 28 February – 2 March
World Federation for Life Cycle Perspective 18th EPA European Congress
Mental Health World Salzburg, Austria of Psychiatry (EPA 2010)
Congress for www.kenes.com Munich, Germany
Mental Health www.kenes.com
Athens, Greece 26–27 November
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Psychiatric Epidemiology World International Family Therapy
14–15 September Oulu, Finland Association (IFTA) Congress
National Association of www.opes.fi Buenos Aires, Argentina
Psychiatric Intensive Care www.paragon-conventions.com
Units (NAPICU) 2009 3 December
Warwick, UK 4th International Congress on 18–20 March
www.napicu.org.uk Brain and Behaviour and 17th World Congress for
Thessaloniki Conference Psychiatric Nurses
8–11 October Thessaloniki, Greece British Columbia, Canada
American Psychiatric www.isbb.gr www.worldcongress.ca
Association (APA)
Institute on Psychiatric 3–6 December 22–27 May
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Conference Psychiatry (AAAP) 20th Annual 163rd Annual Meeting
New York, NY, US Meeting and Symposium Los Angeles, CA, US
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10 October 6–10 June
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www.who.com www.dcpconference.co.uk www.cinp2010.com
64 EUROPEAN PSYCHIATRIC REVIEW