Ethics in research

Research ethics issues are very diverse and particularly central in the field of medical research. The research ethics principles compiled by the Working Group of Medical Ethics Committees can provide guidance.

In addition to the dilemmas inherent in medical research, there are research areas and results where there is a particular risk of misuse. The DFG and Leopoldina have issued joint recommendations on such safety-relevant research. The responsible contact point for safety-relevant research at RWTH is the inter-faculty ethics committee.

In addition, research ethics considerations and conduct are of course relevant in many other areas: In scientific integrity and compliance with rules of good scientific practice, the responsible handling of data and technologies, the choice of cooperation partners, etc. If you suspect scientific misconduct, you can contact the ombudspersons for safeguarding good scientific practice