Ethics Committees in Croatia

In this book the work of ethics committees in Croatia is being investigated for the first time. The 1997 Law on Health Protection introduced legal standards for the establishment of the so- called mixed type of ethics committees at healthcare institutions. Our study aims to examine whether this top-down approach of ethics committee implementation was the right approach for Croatia and what the consequences of this approach have been for the work and formation of Croatian ethics committees. The investigation is focused on the types of committees, the functions they perform in their everyday work, and their membership structure. Special emphasis has been placed on the analysis of ethics committees at healthcare institutions, especially hospitals, in Croatia. The Croatian situation regarding the education of ethics committees is also discussed. Possible solutions and approaches to ethics committee education for transitional societies, with special emphasis on the Croatian healthcare system, are discussed. The book also provides recommendations for further improvement of the work of ethics committees in Croatia.