Brief history
In 1990, simultaneously with the establishment of a National Committee for Medical Research Ethics and another for Social Sciences and Humanities, a third committee was set up to work on research ethics in science and technology, including agriculture and fisheries.
The National Committee for Research Ethics in Science and Technology received its charter, which has much the same wording as those of the other committees, from the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research. The Committee has an interdisciplinary composition and also has lay representatives.
In its first term NENT identified several areas of special concern: - Biotechology and genetic engineering - information technology, privacy, safety and security issues - risk and safety - environment, sustainability and resource allocation.
The risk and safety issue was the main concern in the first working period. In 1992 NENT published Forskningsetikk for forskningsråd (Research ethics for research councils), along with Forskningsetisk veileder (Guide to research ethics). In this publication NENT included a research ethics checklist for use in research projects. This list forms the basis for a research ethical internal control in scientific and technological research projects, which has since been taken over by the newly established Research Council of Norway.
I 1992 NENT focused its attention on ethics and values relating to salmon farming, leading to the publication in the following year of its report Oppdrettslaks – en studie i norsk teknologivurdering (Farmed salmon – a study of technology evaluation in Norway). In the same year two other reports were published: Sikkerhetsregulering og samfunnsverdiar (Safety regulation and social values) and Om å vurdere teknologirøynsler frå Danmark og Nederland (Regarding the evaluation of technological experience from Denmark and the Netherlands). Both these reports stressed the need for better technology assessment procedures in Norway.
During its first few years, NENT concentrated its efforts on technology assessment, a task that was eventually taken over by the Norwegian Board of Technology. NENT also played a central role when the Board of Technology was established in 1999, having responsibility for the secretariat during the first year of the Board’s existence. NENT and the two other national research ethics committees, NEM and NESH share offices with the Board of Technology
In 1994 the report on farmed salmon was followed up by a major international symposium organised in collaboration with the Centre for Technology and Human Values (TMV) at the University of Oslo and the Norwegian Academy of Technological Sciences (NTVA). ”The First International Symposium on Sustainable Fish Farming” resulted in the publication of The Holmenkollen Guidelines for Sustainable Industrial Fish Farming in the same year. These guidelines were revised during the second symposium on the same topic in 1997 and are available at the NTVA website.
NENT has also worked on one of the principles for ethical evaluation in environmental matters – the precautionary principle, which became an issue during the UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. The resulting report, Føre-var prinsippet: Mellom forskning og politikk (The Precautionary Principle between Research and Politics) was completed in 1997, and is also available in an abridged version.
Genetic engineering was in focus right from the start. In 1994, together with the Centre for Research Ethics in Gothenburg, NENT organised a genetic engineering and agriculture conference. In 1996 NENT joined forces with NEM, NESH and the Advisory Board on Biotechnology to organise Norway’s first consensus conference. The theme of the conference was genetically modified food. The final report Kvikklaks og teknoburger (Fast salmon and Technoburgers) has been translated into English. In 2000 the National Committees for Research Ethics, in collaboration with the Advisory Board for Biotechnology and the Norwegian Board of Technology organised a follow-up conference on the same theme to see whether attitudes had changed.
In recent years the committees have continued their work on ethical questions relating to the fisheries and agriculture sector. The projects En verdivurdering av norske fiskerier mot 2020 (An ethical evaluation of Norwegian fisheries towards 2020) in 1999 and Verdier og strategier i norske fiskerier (Values and strategies in Norwegian fisheries) in 2000 resulted in the report Norske fiskerier mot 2020, verdier og strategier (Norwegian Fisheries towards 2020, values and strategies). Ellen-Marie Forsberg, who was employed to work on the projects, played an important role. She has now been granted a scholarship and is currently working on a doctorate in methodology for research ethical evaluation, a priority area for the Committees for Research Ethics.
In 2002 the Research fund for Fisheries and Aquaculture (FHF) commissioned NENT to draw up a report on ethical challenges in the sector and the need for further research into matters relating to ethics in the fisheries and aquaculture.
Another recently concluded project in which NENT has participated is an EU project on the integration of ethical and social considerations i radiation protection, relating in particular to strategies for cleanup and rehabilitation after nuclear accidents:Ethical decicion making in STRATEGY - final report and recommendations
In 2006-2007 the Committee’s work included the drawing up of ethical guidelines for science and technology. NENT launched a new report in 2009. The report Risk and Uncertainty debates concepts "risk" and "uncertainty" as a challenge in research ethics. The background for the report was the Guidelines for research ethics in science and technology, published by the committee in 2008. The guidelines use concepts as risk, uncertainty and the precautionary principle. The committee wanted to clarify these terms, but underlines that the report is meant as a document for discussion and not the final answer. Both the report and the Guidelines may be downloaded from our website (PDF-file) or ordered by postal mail free of charge.
Terms of Reference for the National Committee for Research Ethics in the Science and Technology (NENT)
As laid down by the Ministry of Education and Research on the 25th of June 2007. In addition, The Act of the 30th of June 2006, nr.56, on Ethics and Integrity in Research (The Ethics Research Act – Forskningsetikkloven) applies, with appurtenant provisions laid down by the Ministry of Education and Research on the 8th of June 2000 founded on section 6 of the Act.
I Introduction
The National Committee for Research Ethics in the Sciences and Technology (NENT) is an independent body which, based on values shared by the general public, shall act as a national watch-post, inform and advise upon research ethics within the relevant fields of research.
II Area of Responsibility
The area of responsibility for the National Committee for Research Ethics in the Social Sciences and the Humanities is research ethics within science and technology, industrial, agricultural and fisheries research, including those areas of biotechnology and gene technology not covered by medicine.
The Committee shall be responsible for the prevention of scientific misconduct within its field.
III Responsibilities
1. The Committee shall keep itself informed concerning current and potentially relevant questions of research ethics within its area of responsibility.
2. The Committee shall coordinate and provide advice on research ethics for the various committees within its area of responsibility.
3. The Committee shall inform researchers, the administration and the public about current and potentially relevant questions of research ethics within its area of responsibility.
4. The Committee shall submit recommendations and reports, and develop draft guidelines for research ethics within its area of responsibility. The Committee shall also make recommendations concerning specific cases presented to it.
5. The Committee shall report on its activity at least once a year at an open meeting, and foster informed public debate about questions of research ethics within its area of responsibility in whatever ways it deems suitable.
6. The Committee shall keep other national and international committees on research ethics informed about its activities and, through cooperation with such committees, work to establish a basis for principles of research ethics which are independent of the restrictions of the research areas.
Members 2010-2013
- Dag E. Helland (chair)
- Ragnhild Lofthus
- Deborah Oughton (vice chair)
- Roger Strand
- Gunnar Hartvigsen
- Janneche Utne Skåre
- Tove Kolset
- Ernst Nordtveit
- Svein Nordenson
- Atoosa P-J Thunem
- Kell-Inge Stellander
- Hanne Guro Aabelvik
- Mohammad Azam Mansoor (co-opted member)
- Kristin Asdal (co-opted member)
Contacts:
Director Helene Ingierd, phone +47 23 31 83 04
post@etikkom.no
Chair Dag E. Helland
Helland@mbi.uib.no