Toi Te Taiao: The Bioethics Council meeting minutes - 17 May 2006

Present

• Martin Wilkinson (Acting Chair)
• Helen Bichan
• Graham Robertson
• Simon Wright
• Cordelia Thomas
• Chappie Te Kani
• Waiora Port
• John Pennington
• Prue Densem.

Martin opened the meeting at 9.30am and welcomed Prue Densem from the Ministry for the Environment.

Apologies

Piri Sciascia, Charlotte Severne, Chris Cunningham. Anne Dickinson and Eamon Daly (for lateness). Helen and Cordelia to leave meeting at 3pm.

Karakia

Waiora Port gave a karakia.

Martin said that the Council had received a card from Waiora thanking members for the flowers it gave her to congratulate her on the submission of her PhD thesis.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting

The minutes of the meeting held on 10 April were confirmed as a true and correct record of the meeting on the motion by Martin Wilkinson, seconded Waiora Port, subject to the following amendments:

• Page 2, Anne Dickinson had volunteered to be part of the Budget working group;

• Page 5, the words “Acting Chair” should be amended to read “Graham Robertson, Deputy Chair”.

There was general discussion about whether the minutes as amended should appear on the website.

Moved Martin/Graham:

That these minutes as amended go on the website.                                         

Carried.

Action: Minutes to be corrected and placed on website: Secretariat

Matters Arising

Action List

• Draft letter of thanks to the Minister of the Environment – done (Secretariat).

• Draft letter to Minister of Health on “soft law” – deferred (Martin/ Secretariat).

• Amend CRESA proposal and circulate it – done electronically (Secretariat).

• Arrange for a representative from the Waikato hub to attend the May meeting – done ( Secretariat)

• Place the development of a process to consider proposals on the agenda of the May meeting – deferred to June meeting.

• Chris to produce a paper suggesting a process for Council to follow when considering proposals.  

• Draw up a suggested format for a handbook of policies and bring it back to Council. Anne to do a contents page to set the framework.

• Contact Charles Royal for further information – done (Secretariat)

• Arrange a revised Tikanga/Royal proposal – done (Secretariat)

• Arrange Embryo Working Group meeting – done (Secretariat)

Actions        

• Chris to produce a paper suggesting a process for Council to follow when considering proposals.
• Anne to draw up a suggested format for a handbook of policies.

• Secretariat to attempt to arrange a meeting with Steve Maharey.

Chair’s Report

The Acting Chair outlined his discussion with the Minister. The Minister would meet with him again after the review. The Minister suggested meeting with the Maori caucus and Opposition members, after consultation with him about proposed meetings.  They also discussed the progress implementation of the recommendations in the Xenotransplantation report.

The Acting Chair said the review would be discussed when it was released. 

The Acting Chair discussed the Council’s relationship with ACART and said the Council needed to reply to Sylvia Rumball informing her of its programme. John said that the Council’s process would help ACART’s processes of developing guidelines. ACART would deal with public submissions.

The Acting Chair said he had spoken to Robert Hallowell from the Human Rights Commission about the Xenotransplantation report.

Actions

• Reply to Sylvia Rumball informing her of the Bioethics Council’s work programme: Secretariat

• Martin to discuss with Sylvia Rumball the relationship between ACART and the Council                                                                          

Secretariat’s Report

John has been invited to speak at a conference in Korea. There is a World Congress on Bioethics in China in August. Waiora withdrew her availability to attend the congress in China. There is a meeting of Chairs of ethics bodies 2 days before the China conference.  Helen suggested that the Bioethics Council should be represented.

• Action: Secretariat to circulate email asking if anyone wanted to go to the 2-day meeting in China.

John said that food, the environment, and agriculture were huge issues in New Zealand at present.

There was general discussion about what was being said in the Council’s name when presentations were given by Council members. It was suggested that if personal comment was being made the presentation should contain a disclaimer that this is not necessarily the view of the Council. The Chair said any member who felt a policy was needed could draft a policy and an agenda item could be placed on the agenda for the next meeting. 

Appointments

Martin talked about potential candidates to join the Council. The Council agreed that diversity of members was important for a broad range of ideas and to discourage “group think”.  John said that the frequency of meetings impacted on the availability of a suitable Chair. The Council discussed the frequency of meetings and agreed in principle to fewer meetings, noting that working parties would need more authority to act.

(Anne Dickinson arrived at 11.30am)

Anne suggested the need for representation from the Pacific Island or Asian communities.

Report Maori Working Group

Waiora recommended that Charles Royal conduct the research for the Tikanga project. Chappie said that a breakdown of costs had been received by Charles Royal. General discussion followed about the cost, and it was agreed that Charles Royal had a good reputation and was the person to undertake the research.

Moved Waiora/Martin

That the Council approve contract negotiations with Mauriora-Ki-Te-Ao Living Universe Limited.

Carried

Moved Anne/Helen

That the Acting Chair and Waiora Port, chair of the Tikanga Working Group, be authorised to approve the final contract.

Carried

Action: Undertake contract negotiations with Mauriora-Ki-Te-Ao Living Universe Limited: Secretariat.

Report from Embryo Working Group

Helen thanked Cordelia for her input to the working group. Speakers for the proposed talking embryos seminar were discussed, as well as the possibility of a citizens’ jury. She advised that a wananga was planned to be held in Taranaki. Cordelia said that submissions were due to ACART by November 2006. Anne said that health researchers, ACART and Maori would be interested in the results. It was discussed whether there was a need for a report to the Minister at the end of the project. It was decided that this would depend on the output. Anne said she saw the wananga as an adjunct to the Tikanga project and information could be shared. Cordelia said the overriding purpose was to form dialogue with the public.

The Council agreed that the wananga in Taranaki was a good idea.

Action: Arrange the wananga: Charlotte

The “Talking Embryos” seminar was discussed. It was suggested that the Bioethics Council could attend the seminar and then meet to act as a citizens’ jury.

• Action: The Embryo Working Group plan the Talking Embryos Seminar and arrange a date for the seminar. EWG/ Secretariat

The proposed web dialogue was discussed. Anne said that the website should be prominent, with continued information that was intensified at key times.

ACART’s work programme for 2007 regarding the existing guidelines was discussed. The Council agreed that a submission would probably be made to ACART but planning for 2007 could not be done before evaluation of the 2006 programme.

The EWG to prepare a plan and budget.

The Council  agreed that the project would proceed and the secretariat should insert the embryo project into the annual plan.  

Action:

• Secretariat to insert the embryo project into the annual plan.
• Secretariat to arrange EWG meeting and budget for project.

The Acting Chair said that Bronwyn O’Connor from the Auckland University would be invited to address the next meeting to explain embryo research.

Action: Arrange speaker for next meeting: Martin Wilkinson

Human Tissue Guidelines

Cordelia explained that the Ministry of Health is proposing guidelines on the use of human tissue for future unspecified research purposes, in light of anticipated delays with the Human Tissue legislation. She asked the Council to note that it might wish to make a submission on the guidelines, in light of issues regarding consent and Maori values around human body parts. She said that informed consent could not be given because we do not know what the tissue would be used for in future.

Guest Speaker

John introduced Alistair Jones, from the Wilf Malcolm Institute of Educational Research at Waikato University, speaking on the Biotechnology Learning Hub Project.

(Cordelia and Helen left the meeting at 3.00pm)

(Eamon Daly arrived at 3.12pm)

Alistair gave brief outline of the teaching of bioethics in New Zealand schools. He discussed the proposed project to develop a tool kit to give strategies and guidance to teachers, ideals to stimulate dialogue in the classroom. It would be transferable within different contexts. He explained that science and technology were subjects that could have an ethical opening in discussion, and that even young children already have well defined views and are bringing those concepts to the classroom. The hub had secured 3 years’ funding, and teachers would be educated on how to use the resource. There was general discussion as to timing of the project and whether the Council should authorise the expenditure.

Moved Martin/Eamon

That, subject to contract negotiations, Council approves the Waikato Biotechnology Learning Hub Project.

Carried

Guidelines on the use of Human Tissue for future unspecified research

The Acting-Chair proposed that once the discussion document is available a working group be set up consisting of Cordelia, Martin, Graham, Eamon.

• Action: Establish a human tissue working group once the discussion document is available : Secretariat

Relationship Management Strategies

The Council would promote relationships with Ministry of Health, Maori caucus, Ministry for the Environment.

Other Business

The Council received a letter from Brian Quinn S.M.          

• Action:  Reply to Brian Quinn S.M.:  Secretariat

Next Meeting

19 June 2007 in Wellington.

Meeting closed at 3.54pm with a karakia.

Decision list

• April minutes as amended go on the website
• Agreed in principle that the Council to have fewer meetings
• The Council approved contract negotiations with Mauriora-Ki-Te-Ao Living Universe Limited.
• The Acting Chair and Waiora Port are authorised to approve the final contract price for the Tikanga Project.
• The Embryo project to proceed to the project plan stage
• The Council approved the Waikato Biotechnology Learning Hub Project.
• The Council will promote relationships with Ministry of Health, Maori caucus and Ministry for the Environment.

Action list