Role and activities of a Bioethics Committee within a Palliative care Center: the experience of Antea
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Abstract
The article deals with the activities of the “Antea” Ethics Commit- tee (CB-Antea), a non-profit association dedicated to providing free care for advanced/terminal patients. CB-Antea was establis- hed in 2008, aimed to protect and promote the values of the hu- man person in all scientific and charitable activities that take place within the Association.
This activity is expressed through the formulation of behavioral guidelines and the expression of advices for addressing issues in palliative medicine and care; the careful evaluation of the princi- ples and standards that underline a good health professional-pa- tient relationship, through information and consent to medical pro- cedures that take place in Antea.
This body has been proposed, from the outset, as the place for sharing the care process, in which experts from different discipli- nes could help support both the medical staff to assume a shared ethical professional style and the patients and their families to bet- ter address all potentially conflicting issues.
The CB-Antea has an advisory role for the Antea healthcare work and administration. The main activities are: training in Bio- ethics; clinical ethics consultation; support for designing and con- ducting of Antea clinical-social research projects; development of internal behavioral guidelines and recommendations.
From 2008, CB-Antea is devoted to some important issues, such as the drafting of Antea Charter of Values; the promotion of Antea as Research Center; the production of protocols, operating procedures and material easily accessible for clinical staff; su- pport for the preparation of research projects; revaluation of infor- mation processes and consent.
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