In July 2023, the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina established a working group (Chair: Stefan Pfister ML and Urban Wiesing ML) focused on the framework conditions for clinical trials on vulnerable people. The objective of the working group is to demonstrate ethically justified improvements to the framework conditions for clinical studies on vulnerable people, particularly children and adolescents.

Co-organised by the Leopoldina and the German Medical Association, in collaboration with the World Medical Association and the American Medical Association, and with kind support from the State Chamber of Physicians of Bavaria, the conference “Research with vulnerable people” represents one aspect of the working group’s approach. This targeted interdisciplinary discussion will be held within the scope of the ongoing revision of the World Medical Association’s Declaration of Helsinki (DoH). The aim of this meeting is to foster discussion on the paragraphs in the DoH focused on vulnerability with proven experts and then to proactively contribute the resulting findings to the revision process.

The event will be held in English.