1. Comité Nacional de Ética en la Ciencia y la Tecnología

2. Legal Basis Established by the Ministry of Education in 2001, the National Committee of Ethics in Science and Technology of Argentina (CECTE) is currently under the recently founded Ministry of Science, Technology and Productive Innovation (MinCyT). The eleven members of the Committee are appointed by the MinCyT upon consultations to scientific societies and are selected based on their high academic and personal qualifications in different areas of natural, exact and social sciences, humanities and law.

3. Argentina has a very active and relatively small scientific community that produced three Nobel Prize winners in science. In the latter half of the 20th century, the country suffered a permanent drain of young researchers due to political crises, military interventions and chronic economic difficulties. Nevertheless, Argentine research has succeeded to maintain high standards in some areas and is closely related to international science. This tendency is growing and strengthening at a fast pace as the scientific situation has favourably changed in recent years. In this context, CECTE evolved as an independent multidisciplinary body that studies controversial issues related to research ethics and the ethical implications of policies and regulations involving all areas scientific research and new technologies. It identifies ethical questions raised by new advances in science and technology and addresses topics of scientific responsibility for larger social concerns. Introduction

4. CECTE elaborates recommendations and reports based on the critical transdisciplinary analysis of the best available evidence and in the light of relevant ethical principles. For each case, the committee appoints experts from different disciplines to produce discussion papers on the state of art of the issues under study. The Committee has promoted cooperation with Brazil in research ethics and since 2006 it has organized four bilateral conferences in Argentina and participated in one organized by Brazil on questions of mutual interest. Since 2002, it has received requests for studies and recommendations from different governmental bodies, from public and private institutions and individuals. How CECTE works

5. The Committee signed an agreement with the Science and Technology Commission of the National Parliament to study and draft non-binding recommendations on bills involving controversial ethical issues in relation to science, technology and their impact on society and the environment. Accordingly, CECTE analysed bills related to Biosafety of GMOs in Agriculture (2002); Promotion of Biotechnological Industries (2003); Assisted Reproduction Techniques (2003) and Confidentiality of Genetic Data. On this last subject, the CECTE also produced a report on the ethical and legal issues raised by the UNESCO Resolution on Genetic Privacy and Non-discrimination for the National Institute against Racism, Discrimination and Xenophobia and other governmental agencies. The Committee carried out studies and recommendations for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In particular, CECTE produced two reports on Human Cloning (2004); on Codes of conduct for scientists and institutions in the context of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction (2005); and on statements and declarations proposed by international organizations as UNESCO among others. How CECTE works

6. At the request of the former Secretary of Science, Technology and Productive Innovation, CECTE elaborated several reports, among others one on Research conducted in national public scientific institutions when financing by foreign armed forces institutions is involved (2005). CECTE elaborated a recommendation about Integrity in the scientific community relations (2003); and on Partnership of scientific and technological institutions and other organizations for granting awards (2004). How CECTE works

7. In 2005, the Committee began to work on cases related to research integrity and misconduct, in response to allegations of plagiarism presented by individual researchers and a solicitation from the national funding agency to study measures to avoid conflicts of interest. In this regard, the Committee recommended regulatory and organizational changes in the concerned institutions to prevent future cases and the creation of adequate conditions to investigate research misconduct allegations. CECTE will be working along 2009 on the organization of a research integrity Latin American network. Research integrity

8. CECTE analysed the expansion in the intellectual property law’s breadth, scope and term over the last 30 years and the ethical and legal concerns it rises regarding the access to the benefits of science and technology. Such process affects the necessary balance between private and public interests in areas that are crucial for cultural, economic and social development and has serious implications for the healthcare of vulnerable sectors in developing countries. After a two years long study and two workshops, CECTE approved the final report with recommendations supporting the Access to Scientific Knowledge in the Public Domain (2008). CECTE is elaborating recommendations on the Ethics of Research Involving Animals; including guidelines for the production and care of animals and regulations. It has commissioned a discussion paper on existing international regulations about the use and care of animals for scientific research. It organised two small meetings and sponsored the participation of argentine experts in a conference held in Campinas, Brazil, to discuss the new Brazilian Act for the use and care of animals for research passed on September 2008. Current work

9. CECTE organised a conference on the Code of Conduct for Responsible Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (N&N) Research approved by the European Commission in February 2008. The conference, inaugurated by the Minister of Science and Technology, was co-organised by the Argentine Foundation for Nanotechnology; the Argentine - Brazilian Centre of N&N; the Argentine-Brazilian Programme of Ethics in Science and Technology and the International Relations Division of the Ministry of Science and Technology. Pēteris Zilgalvis, Head of the Ethics and Governance Unit of the Research Directorate General, presented the Code of Conduct for Responsible Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Research and informed about the actions envisioned to its implementation. Current work

10. During the conference, representatives from academia, industry and governmental organisations had a very stimulating discussion about the possibility and convenience of adopting a similar Code in the region. The need for a Code of Conduct was approved. CECTE is in charge of developing a survey among stakeholders to collect a wide range of views on the issues of concern; to produce recommendations about the implementation of the code and risk assessment; and the incorporation of the principles of the code of conduct in scientific and industrial practice. Current work

11. CECTE organised a workshop Neurosciences and Society to analyse a discussion paper on the molecular bases of memory formation, retrieval, persistence and extinction written by three leading scientist in the field. During the meeting, held on December 2007, the committee decided that the issue is linked to new developments in medicine and biology; in humanities, in cognitive and social sciences and raises ethical questions and concerns of significance and complexity that have important implications for society and social responsibility of science and research policy. The Committee’s working programme on neuroethics includes an international conference and the elaboration of a Report in 2009. Current work

12. Samuel Finkielman, MD, Former Director of the Institute for Clinical Investigation, University of Buenos Aires (UBA). He works on Clinical Research. Stella González Cappa, PhD in Medicine, Full Professor, works on Immunoparasitology and Microbiology research at the School of Medicine (UBA). Karen Hallberg, PhD in Physics, researcher at the Atomic Centre Bariloche and Balseiro Institute, Member of the Pugwash Conferences for Sciences. Ivan Izquierdo, PhD in Medicine, Director of the Memory Research Centre, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, Member of the National Academies of Sciences of Argentina, Brazil, the United States and the UE. He works on the molecular mechanisms of formation, evocation, persistence and extinction of memory. Noé Jitrik, Professor of Literature and critics, at the UBA; UNAM and Colegio de Mexico (Mexico), at United States and UE universities, writer, Director of the Institute of Latin American Literature, UBA. Current Members

13. Aída Kemelmajer, PhD in Law, State Supreme Court Justice, Full Professor University of Cuyo, Mendoza, and several universities of Argentina and the UE; member of the National Academy of Law and Social Sciences. Alberto Kornblihtt, PhD in Biochemistry, Full Professor and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute International Research Scholar, works on Molecular Biology at the School of Sciences, UBA. His project studies mechanisms of coupling between transcription and alternative mRNA splicing in human cells. Ernesto Maqueda, PhD in Physics; researcher on theoretical physics at Tandar Laboratory. National Commission on Nuclear Energy. Current Members

14. Armando Parodi, PhD in Biochemistry, Director of the Leloir Foundation, Member of the National Academy of Science of Argentina, USA and other academies in Latin America and Europe, Howard Hughes Medical Institute International Research Scholar. He studies the mechanisms by which proteins that follow the secretory pathway acquire their three-dimensional structures in the endoplasmic reticulum. Carolina Vera, PhD in Meteorology; Professor and Vice Dean of the School of Sciences, UBA. Chairperson of the American Meteorological Society/STAC Committee on Southern Hemisphere Meteorology and Oceanography. She works on climate change at the Research Centre on Oceanography and Atmosphere, School of Sciences, UBA. Current Members

15. Otilia Vainstok Director National Committee of Ethics in Science and Technology Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación Productiva Address Ecuador 873, 4° piso (C1214ACM) Buenos Aires Republica Argentina Tel.: (+5411) 4963-6605/6862/9575/9585 ext.812 Email: cecte@mincyt.gov.ar. Website: http://www.cecte.gov.ar Further Information

16. Ecuador 873 4° piso (C1214ACM) Buenos Aires República Argentina (+5411) 4963-6605/6862/9575/9585 ext.7812 cecte@mincyt.gov.ar http://www.cecte.gov.ar Comité Nacional de Ética en la Ciencia y la Tecnología