{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,14]],"date-time":"2026-08-14T15:31:47Z","timestamp":1786721507474,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":22,"publisher":"Springer Science and Business Media LLC","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,13]],"date-time":"2026-05-13T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1778630400000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,14]],"date-time":"2026-08-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1786665600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":93,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"funder":[{"name":"JST RISTEX-ELSI","award":["JPMJRX21J3"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["JPMJRX21J3"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["link.springer.com"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["BMC Med Ethics"],"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>National bioethics committees (NBCs) are expected to play a crucial role in addressing bioethical challenges. However, few studies have examined the activities of NBCs during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigated whether, and to what extent, NBCs were active during this public health emergency.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Between June and November 2024, we compiled and analyzed statements, opinions, guidelines, and reports on the COVID-19 pandemic issued by NBCs in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries, the Council of Europe, and Singapore. We collected online publications related to COVID-19 from these committees, starting in 2019, and categorized them based on their publication date and themes. As the authors are proficient only in Japanese and English, publications in languages other than English were reviewed with the assistance of ChatGPT.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The study examined 43 NBCs established in 35 countries and one organization. Among them, 22 committees\u2014based in 21 countries and one organization\u2014published materials on ethical issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic. In total, these 22 NBCs issued 108 publications. We categorized the publications into 10 groups, with the three most frequently addressed topics being \u201cvaccination (including vaccine distribution),\u201d \u201cframeworks for COVID-19 policies,\u201d and \u201cmedical resource allocation.\u201d<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The results indicate that publications were issued promptly in response to the evolving crisis and addressed a broad spectrum of bioethical concerns. This study also identifies three challenges and areas for growth. First, when responding to urgent public health crises, NBCs must account for three key considerations: (1) the transparency of the statement publication process, (2) the incorporation of statements into public policies, and (3) protections for the persons involved in drafting such statements. Second, significant regional disparities exist in NBC activity levels. Finally, the findings underscore the need for a more coordinated and globally inclusive approach to bioethical governance in future public health emergencies.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1186\/s12910-026-01468-6","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,13]],"date-time":"2026-05-13T14:25:19Z","timestamp":1778682319000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Activities of national bioethics committees during the COVID-19 pandemic: publication trends and future challenges"],"prefix":"10.1186","volume":"27","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-8443-5543","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hiroto","family":"Takagi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4298-9737","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yusuke","family":"Inoue","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,13]]},"reference":[{"key":"1468_CR1","volume-title":"Scientific and Cultural Organization. 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Bull World Health Organ. 2021;99:138\u201347.","journal-title":"Bull World Health Organ"},{"key":"1468_CR4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Sommer T, Strassheim H, Wenzel L. Crisis management and ethical\u00a0expertise: the role of ethics advice\u00a0during the COVID-19 pandemic in\u00a0Germany.\u00a0Risk Hazards Crisis Public Policy. 2024;15:6\u201324.","DOI":"10.1002\/rhc3.12276"},{"key":"1468_CR5","unstructured":"Hummel P, Littler K, Reis A. Health ethics & governance at WHO: The importance of the global summit of national ethics committees. The Kaleidoscope on Global Bioethics. Lisboa: Conselho Nacional de \u00c9tica para as Ci\u00eancias da Vida; 2023. pp. 211\u201320."},{"key":"1468_CR6","unstructured":"United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Universal declaration on bioethics and human rights. Paris: UNESCO. 2005. Available from: https:\/\/www.unesco.org\/en\/legal-affairs\/universal-declaration-bioethics-and-human-rights?hub=387 (Accessed October 27, 2025)."},{"key":"1468_CR7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"170","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1748-720X.2002.tb00384.x","volume":"30","author":"JF Childress","year":"2002","unstructured":"Childress JF, Faden RR, Gaare RD, Gostin LO, Kahn J, Bonnie RJ, et al. Public health ethics: Mapping the terrain. J Law Med Ethics. 2002;30:170\u20138.","journal-title":"J Law Med Ethics"},{"key":"1468_CR8","unstructured":"World Health Organization. List of national ethics committees. Geneva: WHO. 2015. Available from: https:\/\/bioetika.lrv.lt\/media\/viesa\/saugykla\/2024\/4\/1tv3g5Ipy64.pdf (Accessed October 27, 2025)."},{"key":"1468_CR9","unstructured":"Comit\u00e9 Consultatif National d\u2019\u00e9thique. La contribution du CCNE \u00e0 la lutte contre COVID-19: Enjeux \u00e9thiques face \u00e0 une pand\u00e9mie. Paris: CCNE. 2020. 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