[World Medical Association (AMM). Helsinki Declaration. Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects]

The role of nurses in the Clinical Ethic Committees (ECs) was discussed in a seminar organised by Assistenza Infermieristica e Ricerca and the Mario Negri Research Institute. A recent Italian law of 1998 regulates the functioning and the composition of the local ECs, where at least a nurse must be present. The actual and potential role of the nurses has been discussed from different points of view with and by other professions represented in ECs. Few model experiences were presented by nurses member of ECs. Based on these contributions an important discussion developed, which led to the identification of the main areas of interest and of the key priorities for the development of a more active involvement of nurses in issues specifically related to informed consent, prospective monitoring of the trial implementation, continuity of care across experimental protocols and routine practices. The main contributions to the seminar are reported, together with proposal for developing a specific nursing culture and practice to ECs and clinical trials.