Ethical issues

The collection was established with a noble purpose: To increase the knowledge of diseases and thus help a large group of underprivileged. The procedures were in agreement with the ethical standards of that time.

The Danish Counsil of Ethics and The Danish National Committee on Biomedical Research Ethics made several positive evaluations of the collection. At the beginning of 2006 both have confirmed that it is ethically justifiable to use the Brain Collection for scientific purposes.
(http://www.cvk.im.dk/db/filarkiv/4414/EpostsvarSUM.pdf - Danish)
(http://www.etiskraad.dk/sw8821.asp - Danish)

This was supported by the Minister for the Interior and Health Lars Lykke Rasmussen (The Liberal Party). He particularly maintained that it is not ethically correct to start contacting the next of kin to obtain their permission to use tissue from the brain collection for research projects. To be able to use tissue from the brain collection, the specific projects will, of course, need ethical permission from the regional committees on biomedical research ethics.

The Centre for Basic Psychiatric Research is responsible for the Brain Collection and as such obliged to ensure optimal use of the brains to provide new knowledge of psychiatric disorders for the benefit of today's patients.

Legal issues

The brains were collected, examined, and preserved in agreement with the rules regarding autopsy which existed at that time.

Until 1967, the autopsies were practiced in accordance with guidelines from the Ministry of Justice signed 05.12.1913.

Actual legal regulations regarding autopsies and human tissue samples were introduced with The Act on Human Tissue Samples etc. in 1967.

In 1990, the act was replaced by the Act on Inspection of Bodies, Autopsy and Transplantation etc.

The provisions on autopsy are included in the Health Act §187.