Medical research in China involving humans will be subject to ethical reviews to ensure privacy, safety, and fairness, if a draft proposal released by the National Healthcare Commission (NHC) becomes law.
The proposal would require research and healthcare institutions to create or enable ethics review committees to investigate the implications of research on people. The proposal also would mandate researchers undergo ethics education and training. Committees would be empowered with granting approval for research projects and charged with ensuring such projects are conducted in accordance with the law, with the consent of research subjects and that they strictly control for potential health risks.