The first meeting of the National Bioethics Committee for the year 2019 was chaired by H.E. Dr. Ali bin Saud Al Bimani, the Vice Chancellor of SQU and Chairman of the Committee on 5 March 2019. The Committee reviewed the preparations of the workshop on Research Ethics to be organized in association with UNESCO on 7 and 8 April this year.

The Committee discussed the project for establishment of a national level body for organ donation and transplantation, the way forward and the funding mechanism. The meeting discussed the documents on scientific publication and animal research. The agenda included follow up of the regulations for medical research stations and having social media accounts for the National Bioethics Committee.

The meeting also reviewed the preparations for the next bioethics forum on “genetically modified food” which is scheduled to be held in October 2019 and the next international conference on bioethics scheduled for February 2020.