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English presentation of Espace éthique/IDF

Publié le : 08 Mars 2019

The Espace Ethique, history, governance, and missions
 

History

Created in 1995, the Espace Ethique of the Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris is the first Espace Ethique conceived and developed inside an institution (taken in 2004 as the model for structures of ethical thought pertaining to the law relating to bioethics). In 2013 it was implemented as the Espace de réflexion éthique of the region Ile-de-France.
In 2010 the Espace Ethique/ AP-HP was given the mission of the development of the Espace national de réflexion éthique sur la maladie d’Alzheimer (EREMA) pertaining to the Alzheimer Plan 2008-2012.
From 2010 to 2012 the Espace Ethique was part of the WHO Collaborating Centres for bioethics.
Since 2010, its research team develops the component ‘Ethics, science, health and society’ of the host team 1610 ‘Study on science and techniques’ of the University Paris Sud, in the continuity of the Department of research in ethics Paris Sud created in september 2003.
In 2012, the Espace Ethique with its research team was implemented, pertaining to the investments for the future, as member of the laboratory of excellency DISTALZ (Development of innovative strategies for a transdisciplinary approach of Alzheimer disease). It is more specifically in charge of  research on interventions and early diagnosis, in particular of Alzheimer and associated diseases.

Espace de réflexion éthique de la région Ile-de-France, missions and activities
 
An Espace Ethique can be defined as a place of exchange, university education, training, research, evaluation and propositions on hospital and care ethics. It also ensures a function of documentary resources.
 

Missions

Extracted from its constitutive convention
The Espace de réflexion éthique has the vocation to provoke and coordinate initiatives dealing with  ethics in the field of the science of life and health. In those means :
 

As a place of training :

The Espace de réflexion éthique takes part in raising awareness and university training of professionals in the science of life and health professionals, or any other professional or researcher concerned by the questions of ethics in this domain, as much in their initial training as in their continuing education. The Espace de réflexion éthique contributes to the implementation of third cycle university training, leading to specific university diplomas.
 

As a place of documentation :

The Espace de réflexion éthique constitutes a centre of documentary resources, gathering the material necesary for the information and the sensitization of professionals, researchers and the general public (bibliographical material, electronic, audio, video, etc). Hence it develops a website.
 

As a place of meeting and interdisciplinary exchange :

The Espace de réflexion éthique facilitates exchanges between professionals and academics and associative representatives implicated in the fields of life science and health science, and provokes meetings at a regional level (research seminars, colloquia, conferences, thematic days for professionals etc.). The Espace de réflexion éthique brings methodological, logistical, and documentary support  to those who wish to engage and conduct research work or an ethical reflection on practices in the field of the science of life and health. It is missioned to archive and list the works of reflection and research in ethics conducted in its space especially by students. It facilitates scientific valorization (publication, distribution, communication, etc.) of the work that comes from the thought process led by their authors at a regional level.
 

As a regional observatory of ethical practices inherent to the science of life and health :

 
The Espace de réflexion éthique collects, respectfully to the rules relative to the gathering of personal data, all the useful information relating to its missions.
 

As the organizer of public debate :

 
The Espace de réflexion éthique has the calling to organise public debates, at a regional level, to promote information and the consultation of citizens on the questions of ethics in the field of the science of life and health. In this context, it participates, in link with the Comité consultatif national d’éthique, to the organization of regional or national reunions.
 

In the name of its mission of sharing knowledge :

The Espace de réflexion éthique has a mission to engage in dynamics of common reflection, of exchange (organization of debates, documents, training) and scientific production, in link with the other regional spaces of ethical reflection and with the Comité consultatif national d’éthique for science of life and health.
 

Institutional activities

  • observation and analysis of practices (research and expertise) from situations that raise inside hospitals ethical considerations ;
  • adapted responses to inquiries from health professionals and associations that work in the medical and social fields : concertations, sensitization, training, counsel, consultations ;
  • university education, interdisciplinary seminars, thematical reflection ;
  • development and management of research led by professionals or students in the field of hospital ethics and caregiving or in the social area, but also bioethics
  • synthesis and analysis of publications readable in a documentary resource centre (bibliographical, electronic, internet, audio or video multimedia material etc.). The documentary centre is located at the Medical University of Paris Sud University ;
  • building a network of references, reflection and research, through websites that also inform on the activities of the Espace Ethique and its programmation, but also on national initiatives that might possibly be relayed : www.espace-ethique.org
  • a contribution to public debate through the organization of events and thematical meetings
  • it proceeds to publications that relay the diversity of reflections and research to contribute to the expression, broadcasting and reinforcement of a culture of hospital and care ethics (Collection Espace Ethique, ères editions).