From GMP to GBP* – Fostering Good Bioethics Practices
Among the European Biotechnology Industry

*GMP to GBP - Good Management Practices to Good Bioethical Practices

With a growing need for European-wide bioethical standards, creating dialogue within the biotechnology industry and society as a whole has become an essential task of our project.

The Bioethical Practices project aims to improve understanding and consistence of bioethical standards across the industries. It focuses on understanding daily industrial practices, elaborating clear and independent positions based on regularly updated scientific and technological data to a wide audience. In addition, the project gives biotechnology companies opportunity to listen to social concerns and for the public to get an insight into questions triggered by daily practices of biotech companies, particularly SMEs.

The project is co-funded by the EU Commission under the 6^th Framework Research Programme. The project is coordinated by France Biotech with partners SwedenBio, E-Bio – the Estonian Biotechnology Association, HBA – Hungarian Association for Biotechnology, Asebio – the Spanish Biotech Association and EuropaBio – the EU Bioindustry association as well as the French National institute for Health and Medical research (Inserm) through the involvement of the “Genomics and public health: interdisciplinary approach” Team at Inserm U 558, University Paul Sabatier, Toulouse and of the societal platform of the Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées Genopole, both directed by Dr Anne Cambon-Thomsen.

Project information sheet:
From Good Manufacturing Practices to Good Bioethical Practices.

Available Now - Final reports from the Bioethical Practices Survey

• Bioethics Report on Biobanks
• Bioethics Report on Clinical Trials
• Bioethics Report on Genetic Testing
• Bioethics Report on Gene and Cell Therapies

Workshops & Conferences  

1^st Bioethics Conferences (December 2007)

The first Bioethics Conference, on “Good Bioethical Practices”, took place in Brussels December 4^th, 2007. It was organized by SwedenBio in association with other biotechnology associations and the French National institute for Health and Medical research (Inserm).  The conference included presentations and discussion on bioethical topics and issues involving biobanks, gene and cell therapies, stem cells and genetic testing that European SMEs come face to face with in their businesses.  For a copy of the preliminary report, Agenda and all the presentations given at the conference, please click on the links below.

The conference helped respond to the need to promote and increase a dialogue between companies within the biotechnology industry and society as a whole. The conference enabled biotechnology companies and stakeholders involved in the industry the opportunity to listen to the concerns of society but also it enabled the public to get an insight into the questions arising from the daily practices of biotech companies particularly SMEs.