International conventions are of various types and vary in regards to formal binding. Some conventions have become professional initiatives (Helsinki Convention of the International Medical Association), conventions that are not binding (CIOMS, UNESCO and the Council of Europe) and others that should be considered as laws or quasi-legislative (e.g. directives and in particular European Union regulations).

The impact of international agreements is evident in national legislation, in decisions on publication of articles in scientific publications and in the requirements for parties wishing to participate in international scientific cooperation in the field of health.

The Helsinki Declaration

The Helsinki Declaration was the result of discussions within the World Medical Association (WMA). The first version was adopted at a meeting in Helsinki in 1964. The Declaration was already widely circulated and has been the basis of the ethical discussions between healthcare professions and related professions ever since. The Declaration is enshrined in laws and regulations of many nations. The latest version was adopted at the WMA meeting in Brazil in September 2013.

• English version: Click here

• Icelandic translation (2008 edition): Click here

The Council of Europe guidelines

The Council of Europe's Bioethics page has a wide range of material on scientific ethics in the health field, including The Oviedo Convention and other conventions and recommendations concerning the use of life sciences for medical purposes. Icelanders have signed most of these conventions.

CIOMS

The Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS) is a non-profit organization. CIOMS was founded jointly by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNESCO in 1949.

CIOMS is in the interest of life sciences and has played an important role in implementing ethical criteria and guidelines in research. They include informed consent and its use, criteria for external supervision of the conduct of research, how research participants are recruited etc. The guidelines are general and are based on principles of ethics in life sciences.

"International Ethical Guidelines for Biomedical Research Involving Human Subjects", sometimes called the CIOMS guidelines were reissued in 2016

UNESCO

• Universal Declaration of Bioethics and Human Rights (2005): Click here

• International Declaration of Human Genetic Data (2003): Click here

• Universal Declaration of Human Genome and Human Rights (1997): Click here