A new Italian information resource on Bioethics and its integration with other European systems

1. A new Italian information resource on Bioethicsand its integration with other European systems Maurella Della Seta and Scilla Pizzarelli Documentation Service Italian National Institute of Health

2. Introduction • Developments in science, medicine and technology • Ethical dilemmas • Information tools can ensure the exchange of knowledge and ideas and encourage moral reflection

3. Definition of Bioethics • A field of study concerned with value questions that arise in health care, in the professional patient relationship and in biomedical research • Medical ethics (including rights and duties of health professionals and patients) • Social impact of biomedical, behavioural, genetic research and technology.

4. Where can I find information on Bioethics? • Bioethics has an interdisciplinary nature, involving science, law and philosophy • Updated and reliable information is required not only by scientists, but also by citizens and patients • Information is scattered through a variety of sources

5. Our Project • Started in 2001 • Aim: implementing an integrated system for data collection and exchange of documents related to bioethics • Survey through a questionnaire sent to about 200 institutions, assessing the state of the art of Italian information resources • Analysis of available Italian Web resources

6. SIBIL: the web sitewww.sibil.iss.it • SIBIL collects data from printed and electronic sources • Information on courses, educational programs events and congresses • News section on the national ethical debate • Links to other relevant web sites

7. SIBIL home page

8. The SIBIL Database • Almost 5,000 records • References from Journal articles (from 84 journal titles) Books and book chapters Laws and regulations (some of them in full text) Selection of international legislation Electronic resources Ethical committee opinions Ethical guidelines

10. The SIBIL database home page

11. Record sample – Journal article

12. The Refine Search form

13. Monograph record

14. Book Chapter

15. An indexing tool:the Italian Bioethics Thesaurus • Developed by a team of bioethicists, physicians and information professionals • Derived from Bioethics Thesaurus - US Kennedy Institute of Ethics (originally including about 800 terms) • It includes now over 1600 descriptors linked by semantic and hierarchical relationships • Scope notes in Italian

17. Italian – English version

19. Bioethics debate in Italy • Assisted reproductive technologies • Artificial Insemination, Cloning, In Vitro Fertilization and Surrogate Mothers • Death and dying • Euthanasia, Advance directives, Resuscitation orders • Environmental Ethics • Emerging topic in Italy

20. SIBIL and its possibleEuropean integration - 1 • EURETHNET (European Information Network Ethics in Medicine and Biotechnology) – 2002-2004 • Development of an information network integrating databases and other information resources in the field of European ethics in medicine and biotechnology. • Internet portal, database network, multilingual thesaurus

21. SIBIL and its possibleEuropean integration -2 • 2004 - FASTER - Feasibility study for an Advanced Systematic documentation, information and communication Tool in the field of Ethical issues in science, Research and technology • Infrastructure for a European network

22. SIBIL in the framework of aEuropean Network • With a view to European integration, the SIBIL database has been conceived as a flexible tool for international cooperation • Important steps in this direction: • choice of a software allowing data exchange • English translation of the web site and of the thesaurus

23. The SIBIL team