PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - John Saunders
TI  - Developing clinical ethics committees
AID  - 10.7861/clinmedicine.4-3-232
DP  - 2004 May 01
TA  - Clinical Medicine
PG  - 232--234
VI  - 4
IP  - 3
4099  - http://www.rcpjournals.org/content/4/3/232.short
4100  - http://www.rcpjournals.org/content/4/3/232.full
SO  - Clin Med2004 May 01; 4
AB  - Formal clinical ethics review first developed in the USA and most hospitals there have structures in place. This is often a clinical ethics committee. Developments have been slower in the UK, where there has been uncertainty and variability about the role of clinical ethics committees. Even in the USA, their exact role is uncertain. Although we now have a good idea of the mechanisms for ethical review of clinical issues in NHS trusts and health authorities, the desirability, composition and terms of reference for clinical ethics committees should be agreed as part of the clinical governance agenda.