Topic: The Ethics of Experimental Treatments
Country: Austria
Delegate Name: Mario Lei
School: Forest Hills Northern High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Austria position papers GLIMUN 2014 committees
Medical science is divided into practice and research. It is the research that deals with the unknown. Through medical research, many of the worst diseases and ailments the world has ever seen, have been conquered. Even now, research continues in the fight to find cures. However, boundaries must be set up in order to protect the lives of those we want to help. Experimental treatments must meet certain criteria before being used.
Austria has had its fair share in medical experiments. From 1846-1847, Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis discovered cadaverous poisons and contributed efforts to eliminate childbed fever. Currently, Austria has the Drug Act, which states that no drug may be used if it endangers a human being. In addition, Austria follows the Ethics for researchers established by the European Union and the Declaration of Helsinki established by the WMA. Both documents stress the importance of putting the patient’s health first and informed consent. In addition, Austria has several ethics committees that analyze and review experimental treatments before they are put into practice to ensure that the subjects will not be harmed, there is solid medical evidence to back up the treatment, and to make sure that the benefits outweigh the risks.
Austria expects all nations to support informed consent. Patients must understand the aims, methods, funding, risks, etc. of the treatment. They must give written or witnessed consent to the treatment. Nations should also implement ethics committees, if they do not have some already. This will ensure that experimental treatments meet the necessary requirements to protect the subjects.
