The CIOMS Guidelines for Biomedical Research Involving Human Subjects

161 NEWS AND VIEWS The CIOMS Guidelines for Biomedical Research Involving Human Subjects JOHAN LEGEMAATE Professor of Health Law, Department of Health Policy and Management, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands Introduction ° In 1982 the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS) prepared 'Proposed International guidelines for biomedical research involving human subjects'. CIOMS is based in Geneva and operates under the auspices of the World Health Organization (WHO). A few years ago CIOMS decided to revise the 1982 guidelines. Since 1982 there had been considerable advances in medical sciences and biotechnology, and the potential of human biomedical research had