The National Council of Ethics for Life Sciences is a multidisciplinary consultative body whose objective is to issue opinions on all ethical questions arising in the field of science. These opinions, generally speaking, are based on the legislative acts that regulate medical research. The National Council of Ethics for Life Sciences was created in Portugal in 1990 and functions as an independent consultative body, alongside the Presidential Council of Ministers. The Centres of Reflection undertake an important role concerned with recognizing new issues and disseminating the principal guidance for reflection on open questions. In Portugal, medical research projects require the authorization of the Departmental Director and/or the Administrative Council of the hospital. In Portugal there are health ethics committees in all hospitals within the public health system. However, there is no coordination between these committees, and thus they do not constitute a truly organized system.