Check out the Institut Pasteur's new Ethics Charter

Since it was founded in 1887, the Institut Pasteur has focused on developing basic and applied knowledge in life sciences and working to improve health. Aware of the challenges inherent in scientific progress, the Institut Pasteur promotes research that is both outstanding in its quality and responsible in its approach, incorporating the principles of universalism, humanitarianism and solidarity.

The Institut Pasteur constantly seeks to ensure that its research is guided by scientific integrity and complies with the most stringent ethical and professionally acceptable standards. Achieving this aim is not just a question of adhering to existing legislation and recommendations in these areas. This is why the Institut Pasteur adopted a first Ethics Charter in 2012 and the Charter was recently reviewed by the Institut Pasteur's Ethics Committee, so that it can serve as a guide for the Institut Pasteur's activities.

The Ethics Charter, aimed at Institut Pasteur employees and also external staff, sets out the principles that need to be followed to ensure that research is characterized by:
-    integrity,
-    respect for human dignity,
-    fairness,
-    and responsibility.

It lays down a general framework for conducting research at the Institut Pasteur, which serves as a basis for the principles set out in other Institut Pasteur documents such as the Charter for the Prevention and Management of Conflicts of Interest, the Code of Scientific Ethics and the procedures adopted by the various institutional ethics committees.

The Ethics Charter is the result of a lengthy drafting process involving the Institut Pasteur Ethics Committee (CEIP), which finalized the text in its current version. The CEIP was also keen to launch a process to encourage Institut Pasteur staff to familiarize themselves with the document and integrate it into their working practices, and it hopes to receive feedback from people who will have the task of implementing the principles it contains.

Check out the Institut Pasteur's new Ethics Charter