What does the Danish population know about the scientific ethics committees?
Holm, S.; Rossel, P.
Ugeskrift for Laeger 158(31): 4383-4384
1996
ISSN/ISBN: 0041-5782 PMID: 8759993 Document Number: 455161
The Danish system of research ethical committees (RECs) was established in 1978 and formal legislation on RECs was passed in 1992. We have investigated the general knowledge about the RECs through a telephone survey of a random sample of the adult Danish population. Among the 1137 respondents only 342 (30%) were aware of the existence of an official body which controls medical research, and only a small minority was aware of the composition of the RECs and that the laymembers outnumber the professional members. Knowledge about RECs was positively correlated to higher education, young age, and being male. It is argued that there is a need for increased public information about the existence and composition of the Danish RECs.