Ethics at KI
Ethics is a strategically important area for Karolinska Institutet, and is relevant for both education and research. Here you can read more about what we do, ask for advice, and find links to useful sources on ethical issues, rules and guidelines, literature, and education.
What is medical ethics?
Are you curious about medical ethics?
Here you can learn what it is about and get some suggestions for further reading.
Advice on ethics
There is an Ethics Council and a Scientific representative at KI, and the medical ethicists at LIME can also answer questions about research ethics and ethics in health care.
Ethics education at KI
Ethics is part of the teaching in many programs and courses. Here you can find out what and where.
The ethics unit at LIME
Read more about the ethics unit’s activities in education, research and “tredje uppgiften”.
Whistleblowing on research misconduct
Research ethics for postdocs
A short web-based education on research ethics is now available for postdocs, other researchers, and others interested.
Ethics review of research
Here you will find all the information you need on ethics review of research from the responsible Swedish authority Etikprövningsmyndigheten (only in Swedish).
Retraction watch
Here you will find more information about retracted scientific articles.
Useful resources
KI’s Strategy 2030 stresses ethics
“An ethical approach, academic freedom, critical reflection, high quality, and high ambitions shall pervade and support everything we do.”
Cheating among students – this is how it is handled at Karolinska Institutet
It happens that students cheat on exams or examination papers. Here you will find information on the procedures for handling cheating and other disciplinary cases at KI.
This is how KI investigates deviations from good research practice
A separate Swedish agency is responsible for investigations of scientific misconduct (see oredlighetsprovning.se). However, some matters remain with the universities. This is how they are handled at KI.
Medical faculties in collaboration on research ethics education
After the Macchiarini scandal, the medical faculties in Sweden decided to collaborate on research ethical issues. The work so far has been focused on producing a web-based education and getting it up and running.
Case archive
Here you will find ethics cases relating to healthcare and to research. Feel free to provide your own ethics case – or develop it in collaboration with the medical ethicists at LIME.
Medicinska etikens ABZ
The book Medicinska etikens ABZ (The ABZ of medical ethics) explains terms from ethics, medical ethics, and philosophy of science (only in Swedish).
Here you can download the book!
Codex collects regulation and guidelines for research
At Codex you will find research ethics regulation, guidelines, and a number of introductory texts explaining how ethical issues come into play in research.
Research animal ethics
Read about the Swedish regulations for the use of animals in research.
Literature
Research ethics
Clinical ethics
Links
The Declaration of Helsinki
Good research practice
The Swedish National Council on Medical Ethics
ALLEA – All European Academies
Karolinska Institutet Ethics Council
The ethics council at Karolinska Institutet has the mission to promote ethical reflection and discussion at KI, for instance through open seminars. The ethics council also oversees that KI is acting in accordance with its own values.
The scientific representative at KI
The scientific representative is providing guidance and advice on issues concerning, e.g., co-publication and authorship – and spreads knowledge on research ethics codes, regulations, and guidelines.
Working group KI’s historical heritage
The group, constituted in October 2020, is taking a closer look at some aspects of KI’s historical heritage, not least its connection to race biology and racism.
The group has written a report on the use of personal names on buildings, lecture halls, and streets. It is now working on historical and ethical issues relating to the anatomic collection at KI.
Practical issues relating to ethics
Practical information on healthcare ethics is collected and provided by senior adviser Marie Chenik, with the purpose of updating and stimulating debate on ethics (in Swedish).