Neuroethics Guiding Principles for the NIH BRAIN Initiative.

Henry T Greely, Stanford University
Christine Grady, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
Khara M Ramos, National Institutes of Health
Winston Chiong, University of California
James Eberwine, University of Pennsylvania
Nita A Farahany, Duke University
L Syd M Johnson, Michigan Technological University
Bradley T Hyman, Harvard Medical School
Steven E Hyman, Harvard University
Karen S Rommelfanger, Emory University
Elba E Serrano, New Mexico State University

Abstract

Neuroscience presents important neuroethical considerations. Human neuroscience demands focused application of the core research ethics guidelines set out in documents such as the Belmont Report. Various mechanisms, including institutional review boards (IRBs), privacy rules, and the Food and Drug Administration, regulate many aspects of neuroscience research and many articles, books, workshops, and conferences address neuroethics. (Farah, 2010; https://bioethicsarchive.georgetown.edu/pcsbi/studies.html; http://www.neuroethicssociety.org/annual-meeting). However, responsible neuroscience research requires continual dialogue among neuroscience researchers, ethicists, philosophers, lawyers, and other stakeholders to help assess its ethical, legal, and societal implications. The Neuroethics Working Group of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative, a group of experts providing neuroethics input to the NIH BRAIN Initiative Multi-Council Working Group, seeks to promote this dialogue by proposing the following Neuroethics Guiding Principles (Table 1).