Almost 200 domestic and foreign managers and scientists are gathering in Lam Dong province in the central highlands to discuss circulating memo’s on the clinical tests of new drugs and standard procedures for the ethics council in biomedicine research on humans.

Addressing the two-day seminar, that will close on Aug. 25, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien, who is also President of the ministry’s Science and Ethics Council, said that her ministry has issued a number of regulations on clinical tests and the creation of an ethics council.

She emphasised the necessity to readjust and supplement legislation on the sector in order to serve research, development and the application of new products. This would ensure safety and efficiency and protect the rights and health of people who take part in research and facilitate people’s access to scientific and technological developments and new drugs.

The ministry presented a draft circular on the clinical tests of new drugs and standards for the ethics council.

Representatives from the US , Thai and Canadian Ethics Councils presented their operational models and shared experiences.

The two-day seminar will also cover standard operating procedures for the ethics council to consider, appraise, monitor and inspect clinical tests, as well as the standardisation of the organisation and the operational process for the council at different levels to consider and approve proposed biomedicine researches./.