The Hospital Ethics Committee was constituted in 1996. The initial committee was made up of 6 members, which included the chairperson, two staff members a medical ethicist, and a statistician. Since then the committee has expanded to include a total of 16 members. The present Chairperson is Dr. R Soonawala. The other members include clinicians, the Nursing Superintendent of the hospital, Medical Administrator, a medical ethicist, a philosopher, and one patient cum social worker.

The mandate of Tata Memorial Hospital Ethics Committee essentially targets patients care and ethical aspects of research and education. The terms of reference of the mandate are as follows:

1. To improve the standard of ethics and to issue guidelines dilemmas relating to patient care services at TMH.
2. To ensure that all proposed research projects conform to standard ethical guidelines.
3. Continuing education by seminars workshops and interactive discussions on medical ethical issues for all categories of staff members including nursing and paramedical staff.
4. To initiate the commission research studies and conferences on ethical aspects of practices
5. To function as a forum for addressing complaints of an ethical nature, from patients and their families.

The Ethics committee endeavors to produce guidance on a broad range of topics. Disclosures of diagnoses, diagnoses of brain death, indications for stopping resuscitation, true informed consent etc are some examples The committee does address or interfere in matters of an administrative nature : nor does the committee function as a grievance cell for the staff members.

The hospital ethics committee (or HEC) meets on the last Friday of every month. The minutes are maintained, and an agenda is issued to all the members of the committee. Over the last five years the activities of the HEC have moved along with the two major pathways :

1. Ethical evaluation of research projects which are approved by the Hospital Scientific Review Committee. The HEC members are primarily concerned with issues revolving around the informed consent form, protecting the patients rights and health etc.
2. Dealing with ethical issues as they arise in the setting of our hospital.
3. Issues of importance which affect the medical profession at large e.g. issues of authorship, confidentiality, patients autonomy etc.
4. Teaching/educative programs, debates and seminars on ethical issues, which are aimed at sentisizing the staff to nuances of medical ethics.

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Related links
SOPs of Hospital Ethics Committee   ( Html Format)

SOPs of Hospital Ethics Committee   ( Pdf Format)