From scientific exploitation to individual memorialization: Evolving attitudes towards research on Nazi victims’ bodies

During the Third Reich, state-sponsored violence was linked to scientific research on many levels. Prisoners were used as involuntary subjects for medical experiments, and body parts from victims were used in anatomy and neuropathology on a massive scale. In many cases, such specimens remained in scientific collections and were used until long after the war. International bioethics, for a long time, had little to say on the issue. Since the late 1980s, with a renewed interest in the Holocaust and other Nazi crimes, a consensus has increasingly taken hold that research on human tissues and body parts from the Nazi era is inadmissible, and that such specimens should be removed from scientific collections and buried. The question of what to do with scientific data obtained from these sources has not received adequate attention, however, and remains unsolved. This paper traces the history of debates about the ethical implications of using human tissue or body parts from the Nazi period for scientific purposes, primarily in the fields of anatomy and neuropathology. It also examines how this issue, from after the war until today, influenced the establishment of legal and bioethical norms on the use of human remains from morally tainted sources, with a particular emphasis on Germany and Austria. It is argued that the use of such specimens and of data derived from them is unethical not only because of potential harms to posthumous rights of the victims, but also because such use constitutes a moral harm to society at large

EOSCpilot Ethics: Supporting Document to D3.3 Draft Policy Recommendations

This paper discusses how an ethical dimension can best be included within the policies, structures and services of the developing European Open Science Cloud (EOSC). Although the inclusion of ethical principles and policies are seen as of fundamental importance to the EOSC, it is difficult to anticipate all the ethical issues that may emerge as the scientific, technical, social and political landscape evolves. It is therefore seen as crucially important to have governance mechanisms in place that can ensure ethical issues are appropriately dealt with in the future, however and whenever they are presented, as well as identifying and proposing responses to current issues. An analysis of ethical issues relating to organisational conduct and policies, research conduct, research decision making, the use of data, especially sensitive personal data, and the interaction between science and society, serves to underline the complexity and diversity of potential issues

Menschen schützen und unterstützen: warum Solidarität weiterhin gefragt ist in der Pandemie

Seit Beginn der Pandemie hat sich unser Fachwissen sowohl über die Ausbreitung des Virus als auch über Präventionsmaßnahmen vervielfacht. Tests, Impfungen und Therapien sind verfügbar und viele Fragestellungen durch die Erkenntnisse der letzten Jahre gelöst worden. Trotzdem bleibt die Entscheidungsfindung für Interventionen im Sinne der öffentlichen Gesundheit weiterhin eine Herausforderung. Dafür kann die unabhängige und interdisziplinäre Wissenschaft weiterhin wichtige Impulse setzen und Perspektiven liefern. Dieses Papier stellt einige zentrale Punkte zusammen, die aus einem intensiven Diskursprozess entstanden sind, der in den letzten Monaten unter den angeführten Expert*innen und Wissenschafter*innen verschiedener Disziplinen stattgefunden hat. Es besteht der Grundkonsens, dass eine gesundheitspolitische und ethische Notwendigkeit besteht, den Schutz jener Menschen im Blick zu behalten, welche anfälliger für schwere COVID-19 Krankheitsverläufe, als auch Long Covid sind, sowie deren Umfeld und generell im Hinblick auf Gesundheitsfragen vorsichtig agierende Personen. Dieses Papier soll Bewusstsein für die Thematik stärken, und Entscheidungsträger:innen sensibilisieren und darin unterstützen, diese Personenkreise in ihren Überlegungen im Blick zu behalten

Fostering responsible research with genome editing technologies : a European perspective

In this consensus paper resulting from a meeting that involved representatives from more than 20 European partners, we recommend the foundation of an expert group (European Steering Committee) to assess the potential benefits and draw-backs of genome editing (off-targets, mosaicisms, etc.), and to design risk matrices and scenarios for a responsible use of this promising technology. In addition, this European steering committee will contribute in promoting an open debate on societal aspects prior to a translation into national and international legislation.peer-reviewe

Commemorative Lecture on the Occasion of the Medical University of Vienna's "Dies Academicus" and Announcement of Elsevier's Donation of the Pernkopf Atlas Anatomical Illustrations to the Josephinum

We are gathered here today, on this momentous occasion of March 12, 2021 to commemorate all those who were victimized by the National Socialist regime in Austria. These are not only the – above all – Jewish members of the University of Vienna, who were dismissed, expelled, murdered. No, these are also others who had to suffer injustice in connection with the university. Image credit: Table of Contents photo of the Josephinum provided by the Medical University of Vienn

Volunteers for clinical trials: from the history of abuses and exploitation to the inclusion movement, and to an income resource

Medical research is essential to develop new and better therapies, increase social standards and a better life for all of us. Scientific curiosity has helped to achieve many successful innovations, but history also demonstrates that research can lead to abuses of individuals neglecting autonomy and integrity of the human being. Since the 1960ies we have witnessed a continuous development of international regulations and ethics guidelines (soft law) in medical research, leading to a higher quality of scientific results. An important focus lies on recognizing human vulnerability and a therefore adapted informed consent procedure. Our modern clinical trials structure requires the inclusion of healthy volunteers in the first phases of the development of a new medicinal product, leading to new ethical questions and challenges. The Corona-Pandemic has accelerated vaccine development in a successful way also leading to a new importance of healthy volunteers in the medical research landscape

Note to the Users of Pernkopf’s Atlas of Topographical and Applied Human Anatomy

Rector Müller and Professor Druml, on behalf of the Medical University of Vienna, have created this Note to the Users of Pernkopf’s Atlas of Topographical and Applied Human Anatomy, in the hope that libraries (and other owners) around the world will insert it into the books in their possession. Please download the PDF, print and insert this document into all volumes of the atlas in your personal and institutional reference collections. &nbsp