TY - JOUR T1 - Developing clinical ethics committees JF - Clinical Medicine JO - Clin Med SP - 232 LP - 234 DO - 10.7861/clinmedicine.4-3-232 VL - 4 IS - 3 AU - John Saunders Y1 - 2004/05/01 UR - http://www.rcpjournals.org/content/4/3/232.abstract N2 - 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. ER -