Research Ethics Committees are instruments which allow the medical professi
on to control the research with human subjects. In this context, some medic
al researchers criticize the increasing bureaucracy and the hindrance of re
search which interfere with the ability to compete in international researc
h. On the other hand, the public criticizes the missing transparency, indep
endence and democratic legitimization of Research Ethics Committees as wen
as the possible conflicts of interests of their members.
The medical research with human subjects who are incompetent to give inform
ed consent serves as an example to show the necessity of quality control an
d standardized criteria of assessment.
By comparison with the development of Institutional Review Boards in the Un
ited States, ideas for the necessary changes of Research Ethics Committees
in Germany regarding their work, assembly and transparency are developed.