The International Bioethics Committee (IBC) is a body of 36 independent experts that follows progress in the life sciences and its applications in order to ensure respect for human dignity and freedom. It was created in 1993.
The IBC provides the only global forum for reflection in bioethics.
Statements on ethical issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the International Bioethics Committee (IBC) together with the World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology (COMEST), has spared no effort to provide the international community with reflections and recommendations on the ethical issues raised by the health crisis, through several statements, as follows:
UNESCO’s Ethics Commissions call for the temporary waiving of patents related to vaccines as an exceptional measure (September 2021)
This statement calls for equal access for all to vaccines and therapeutics developed to confront COVID-19.
> Read the full statement
UNESCO’s Ethics Commissions call to address ethical issues of COVID-19 certificates to leave no one behind (June 2021)
This statement calls for policy-makers to address ethical issues involved in COVID-19 certificates and vaccine passports.
> Read the full statement
> Read the news
UNESCO calls for COVID-19 vaccines to be considered a global public good (February 2021)
In this joint statement, the IBC and COMEST call for a change of course in current COVID-19 vaccination strategies, urging for global vaccines equity and solidarity.
> Read the full statement
> Read the press release
Statement on COVID-19 : Ethical Considerations from a Global Perspective (April 2020)
In this joint statement, the IBC and COMEST guide policy-makers and inform the public about essential ethical considerations that need to be addressed during the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
> Read the full statement
> Read the press release
IBC Sessions
The Director-General of UNESCO convenes the IBC at least once a year. Through its sessions and working groups, the Committee produces advice and recommendations on specific issues that are adopted by consensus and are widely disseminated and submitted to the Director-General for transmission to the Member States, the Executive Board and the General Conference.
- Public meetings of the 28th (Ordinary) Session of the IBC and 12th Ordinary Session of COMEST, Online, 2-3 December 2021
- Extraordinary Session of the IBC / Joint Session of the IBC and the IGBC / Eleventh (Extraordinary) Session of COMEST, Online, 22-26 February 2021
- Twenty-seventh (Ordinary) Session of the IBC, Online, 17 December 2020
- Twenty-sixth (Ordinary) Session of the IBC - Eleventh (Ordinary) Session of the World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology (COMEST), Bangkok, Thailand, 5-6 July 2019
- Twenty-fifth (Ordinary) Session of the IBC / Joint Session of the IBC and the IGBC / Tenth Extraordinary Session of COMEST, UNESCO Paris, France, 11-12 September 2018
- Twenty-fourth (Ordinary) Session of the IBC and Tenth (Ordinary) Session of the World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology (COMEST), UNESCO Paris, France, 12-13 September 2017
- Twenty-third (Ordinary) Session of the IBC / Joint Session of the IBC and the Intergovernmental Bioethics Committee (IGBC) / Extraordinary Session of the IGBC / Ninth Extraordinary Session of the World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology (COMEST), UNESCO Paris, France, 12-16 September 2016
- See also: All IBC Sessions
Who can participate in or attend IBC sessions?
- Member States, Associate Members of UNESCO may take part as official observers in the meetings of the IBC, while non-Member States that have set up a permanent observer mission may do so at the invitation of the Director-General.
- The United Nations and the other organizations of the United Nations system that have an agreement with UNESCO for reciprocal representation may take also part as observers in the meetings of the IBC.
- International governmental or non-governmental organizations with similar objectives to those of the IBC may be invited to take part as observers in the meetings of the IBC.
- Specialists or other relevant persons or groups may be consulted on matters within the competence of the IBC.
- Any individual or representative of an institution who wishes to attend a public session of the IBC should contact the Secretariat of the IBC to receive an invitation.
How does the IBC work?
Since 1998, the IBC has had Statutes defining its mandate, composition, etc.
The Director-General of UNESCO convenes the IBC at least once a year. Through its sessions and working groups, the Committee produces advice and recommendations on specific issues that are adopted by consensus and are widely disseminated and submitted to the Director-General for transmission to the Member States, the Executive Board and the General Conference.
Committee tasks
- To promote reflection on the ethical and legal issues raised by research in the life sciences and their applications.
- To encourage the exchange of ideas and information.
- To encourage action to heighten awareness among the general public, specialized groups and public and private decision-makers involved in bioethics.
- To co-operate with the international governmental and non-governmental organizations concerned by the issues raised in the field of bioethics as well as with the national and regional bioethics committees and similar bodies.
- To contribute to the dissemination of the principles set out in the UNESCO Declarations in the field of bioethics, and to the further examination of issues raised by their applications and by the evolution of the technologies in question.
How are the IBC members chosen?
The Director-General appoints the IBC's 36 members to serve in their personal capacities for four-year terms. The selection is made taking into account cultural diversity, balanced geographical representation and nominations from States of qualified specialists in the life sciences and in the social and human sciences, including law, human rights, philosophy, education and communication.
Work Programme for 2020-2021
Based on the discussion during the 26th (Ordinary) Session of the International Bioethics Committee (Bangkok, July 2019), taking into consideration the conclusions of the 11th (Ordinary) Session of the Intergovernmental Bioethics Committee (Paris, June 2019), and following further online discussion of the Committee at the end of 2019 and beginning of 2020, the Bureau of the IBC revised in February 2020 the work programme of the Committee for 2020-2021 as follows:
- The Committee will elaborate on the principle of protecting future generations, as set forth in Article 16 of the Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights, in view of recent challenges raised by developments in genome editing, as well as existing challenges in access to health.
- The IBC also decided to address the ethical implications of neurotechnology.
The Committee will remain open to addressing other emerging bioethical challenges during the 2020-2021 biennium.
Reports and Advices
- Report of the IBC on assisted reproductive technologies (ART) and parenthood (2019)
- Report of the IBC on the Principle of Individual Responsibility as related to Health (2019)
- Report of the IBC on Big Data and Health (2017)
- Report of the IBC on the Bioethical Response to the Situation of Refugees (2017)
- Report of the IBC on the Principle of the Sharing of Benefits (2015)
- Report of the IBC on Updating Its Reflection on the Human Genome and Human Rights (2015)
- Report of the IBC on the Principle of Non-Discrimination and Non-Stigmatization (2014)
- Report of the IBC on the Principle of Respect for Human Vulnerability and Personal Integrity (2013)
- Report of the IBC on social responsibility and health (2010)
- Advice of the IBC on the Patentability of the Human Genome
- See also : All IBC reports and advices
Newsletter
- COVID-19 Vaccines as global public goods, N° 2, July 2021
- Ethics as the global compass, N° 1, July 2020
Bureau
During its 26th (Ordinary) Session, the IBC proceeded with the election of its Bureau: a Chairperson, four Vice-Chairpersons and a Rapporteur, who will remain in office until the end of the 28th (Ordinary) Session in 2021, provided that they remain members of the Committee.
The following members were elected to the Bureau:
Chairperson
- Mr Hervé Michel Chneiweiss (France)
Rapporteur
- Ms Anoja Indrakanthi Fernando (Sri Lanka)
Vice-Chairpersons
- Ms Ames Dhai (South Africa)
- Mr Dirceu Bartolomeo Greco (Brazil)
- Ms Signe Mezinska (Latvia)
- Mr Roland R. Tomb (Lebanon)
Contact: ibc@unesco.org
