[Bioethics in Morocco: An example of research on schizophrenia and the history of the Casablanca biomedical research ethics committee]

Abstract

The ethics committee for biomedical research of Casablanca (CERBC) was born within the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Casablanca (FMPC) in Morocco in 1989, following the impetus of some teachers who were aware, from their specialties and their concerns, to the protection of people who took part in clinical trials. From the start, the committee faced difficulties in giving itself regulatory legitimacy. Subsequently, it was necessary to make a major educational and communication effort with the medical staff in order to explain the notions of ethics and bioethics, which were unknown at the time to most of the doctors at the University Hospital. However, general medical ethics teaching has been provided to medical students at the Casablanca faculty since 1979. Thirty-five years after its creation, the sustainability of the CERBC is only due to the perseverance of its members and their activism with all authorities that directly or indirectly affect biomedical research in Morocco.

Keywords: Bioethics; Bioéthique; Casablanca; Comité de recherche; Maroc; Morocco; Research committee; Schizophrenia; Schizophrénie.