ABSTRACT
Ethical review of research began in the Slovak Republic after the Czech-Slovak 'velvet revolution' of 1989 and was driven by scientists, bioethicists and the Good Clinical Practice (GCP) requirements of pharmaceutical companies. This was part of a general reform of the health and biomedical research systems at the time, that aimed to decentralize such research systems and integrate the Slovak Republic with 'pertinent European structures'. The Central Ethics Committee (CEC) was established by the Ministry of Health in 1990 to act as an advisory body on bioethics. Ethical review of clinical trials and biomedical research is well established in the Slovak Republic and this will be strengthened by the revision of health legislation occurring in late 2004. It is thought that it will introduce some very positive and systemic changes in the area of ethics committees, a welcome move for bioethics in Slovakia.
