science & society ©2006 EUROPEAN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY ORGANIZATION EMBO reports VOL 7 | SPECIAL ISSUE | 2006 science & society Setting standards for scientists For almost ten years, COMEST has advised UNESCO on the formulation of ethical guidelines

history reveals an abundance of pledges, guidelines and laws to regulate the rela-tionship between professionals and soci-ety. However, increasing concerns about the new and emerging ethical aspects of biomedical research, and its potential for abuse, have led to a surge of ethical debates and their translation into a new, globally accepted codification. By virtue of its function in setting standards and its advocacy of universal norms and values, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultura