Federative International Committee for Ethics and Medical Humanities (FICEM) of the IFAA
FICEM intends to be a think-tank and adviser for all ethical questions related to anatomical research, anatomical teaching, and anatomical collections and displays. It also responds to incidents and issues of importance with position statements that represent the ethical perspectives of the IFAA.
The current FICEM committee membership looks to continue the efforts of previous committees, which culminated in the issue of 'Recommendations of Good Practice for the Donation and Study of Human Bodies and Tissues for Anatomical Examination' in 2012, and in the development of subsequent recommendations on topics related to ethical issues in anatomy.
One of the tasks of FICEM is to raise awareness of guidelines and to support those who may have difficulties adhering to them for cultural or religious reasons. In upcoming years, we intend to examine with an open and scientific mind the various ways of dealing with ethical issues in anatomical research and education, in order to:
Please feel free to use and distribute any of the material found on these web pages.
For more detail, see our Five Year Strategic Plan.
Dr. Jon Cornwall (Chair) | New Zealand |
Dr. Brendon Billings | South Africa |
Prof. Thomas H. Champney | USA |
Prof. Sabine Hildebrandt | USA |
Prof. Gareth Jones | New Zealand |
Prof. Diogo Pais | Portugal |
Brandi Schmitt | USA |
Prof. Guo-Fang Tseng | Taiwan |
Prof. Andreas Winkelmann | Germany |
If you wish to engage with FICEM or individual members of FICEM (see list of 'members', above) for any questions, suggestions, or feedback you may have regarding either FICEM or the topic of ethics in anatomy, please feel free to do so. In the first instance, please contact the Chair of FICEM, Jon Cornwall ( jon.cornwall[at]otago.ac.nz ) to facilitate interaction with FICEM members.
Jon Cornwall, October 2024
FICEM members have compiled a list of relevant literature in the field of ethics in anatomy; see this page: Suggested Reading
This is a preliminary and growing collection of relevant web links in the field of "anatomy and ethics". Please feel free to send links you want to see here to: jon.cornwall[at]otago.ac.nz
Policies of the American Association of Anatomists (AAA)
AAA Policies
Statement of the American Association of Clinical Anatomists (AACA) on Body Donation and Body Exhibits
https://clinical-anatomy.org/content.php?page=Anatomical_Services_Commitee#aacapositiononbodyexhibits
Statement of the Anatomische Gesellschaft regarding anatomy during the times of National Socialism (German only)
https://anatomische-gesellschaft.de/index.php?id=geschichte-der-anatomie-im-dritten-reich
Seidelman W, Elbaum L, Hildebrandt S (eds.): How to deal with Holocaust era human remains: recommendations arising from a special symposium. Recommendations/guidelines for the handling of future discoveries of human victims of Nazi terror, and “Vienna Protocol” for when Jewish or possibly-Jewish human remains are discovered, by Rabbi Joseph A. Polak. http://www.bu.edu/jewishstudies/research/project-on-medicine-and-the-holocaust/recommendations-for-the-discovery-of-jewish-remains-project/[bu.edu]
American Association for Anatomy (AAA) recommendations for the management of legacy anatomical collections. Cornwall J, Champney TH, de la Cova C, Hall D, Hildebrandt S, Mussell JC, Winklemann A, DeLeon VB. [Open access] https://anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ar.25410
Transeuropean pedagogic anatomical research group
https://teparganatomy.wordpress.com
Ethics and Professionalism in Anatomy Teaching Resources https://www.anatomy.org/ANATOMY/ANATOMY/Resources/Anatomy-Ethics-Resources.aspx
List of US Willed Body Programs
https://ttuhscep.edu/som/dme/educational-resources/anatomical-donations-programs-US.aspx
New Zealand Human Tissue Act
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2008/0028/latest/DLM1152940.html?search=ts_act_human+tissue_resel&p=1
Australian Human Tissue Act
https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdb/au/legis/nsw/consol_act/hta1983160/
United Kingdom Human Tissue Act
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/30/contents
These links to other Internet websites and Information provided by persons not affiliated with FICEM are not endorsements or referrals of any products, services or information contained in such websites, and no information in any such website has been endorsed or approved hereby. information provided and opinions expressed by others do not necessarily represent the opinion of FICEM members.
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