Santé publique France is committed to integrating public health ethics into its projects and activities in order to better fulfill its mission of supporting decision-making in public health and health safety and serving the population.

The Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee is tasked with:

• to continuously monitor best practices in the field of conflict of interest prevention in similar institutions, particularly abroad;

• to contribute, through its opinions and assessments, to the implementation of the policy for the prevention and management of conflicts of interest and the rules in force regarding conflicts of interest, in collaboration with the agency’s ethics officer. In particular, the Board of Directors consults the Committee on the procedures for implementing the ethical rules referred to in paragraphs 15) and 16) of Article R. 1413-12;

• to evaluate and issue an opinion on the measures put in place to ensure the independence of staff members when speaking at public events, particularly when such events are organized or supported by private companies, professional unions, associations, learned societies, or any other economic or social sector;

• to issue an opinion, at the request of the Director General or on its own initiative, on any specific situation that may call into question compliance with the ethical rules applicable to the Agency’s work;

• to issue opinions and recommendations, at the request of the Director General or the Scientific Council, on any ethical issues arising from the implementation of the Agency’s scientific programs and activities.

It prepares an annual activity report submitted to the Board of Directors. The committee transmits its opinions and recommendations to the person or body that referred the matter to it, to the Board of Directors, and to the Director General of the agency. Its opinions are made public in accordance with rules guaranteeing respect for privacy.

¹Articles L. 1413-1 et seq. of the Public Health Code

Only complete applications will be considered.

The selection of applications for the Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee will be based on the information provided in the cover letter, experience and practice in public health ethics and/or professional conduct, and an analysis of conflicts of interest.

Another factor will be taken into account in the composition of the committee: the need for the group to be multidisciplinary and diverse in order to be able to address all the issues the Committee will encounter during its term.

Note: Given the ethical principles applicable to Santé publique France, the receipt of personal compensation from industry entities within the scope of the committee’s mandate and participation in scientific or strategic advisory activities for those same entities constitute a conflict of interest that is incompatible with appointment to the committee.

Declarations of interest will be reviewed by Santé publique France’s Internal Ethics Committee; committee members’ declarations of interest are published on the DPI SANTE portal.

Candidates will be notified of the outcome of the review of their application via email from the committee’s secretariat.

The committee’s membership is published on the agency’s website.

Members of the Scientific Council, the Steering and Dialogue Committee, and the Board of Directors of Santé publique France, as well as staff of the Regional Health Agencies (ARS) and the central administration of the Ministry of Health, are not eligible to apply.

The role of a member of the Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee is incompatible with membership in any other body of the agency and with any contractual relationship with it, and is subject to all ethical principles applicable to the agency.

The exclusion criteria apply to candidates who have not been professionally active for more than three years, as such situations do not allow for the updating of their skills and knowledge in their field.

This committee consists of seven members, including its chair, appointed by resolution of the Board of Directors, following approval of the list of members—who are recognized for their knowledge and expertise in professional conduct and ethics—and after reviewing their conflicts of interest, as defined by the provisions of Article L. 1451-1.

The current composition of the Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee (2021–2024) and brief biographies of its members are available here.

Committee members serve in their own capacity and therefore cannot be replaced.

In the event of a vacancy, for any reason whatsoever, members are replaced under the same conditions for the remainder of the term of the person they are replacing.

The aim is to recruit French-speaking experts in professional conduct and ethics from a variety of disciplines: ethics, law, epidemiology, health prevention and promotion, public health, philosophy, humanities, and social sciences…

General Skills

• Experience in implementing projects in the relevant fields;

• Writing skills;

• Ability to work collaboratively;

• Experience participating in working groups;

• Experience in formulating actionable responses for decision-makers and the public.

Specific skills

Two more specific areas of expertise have been identified:

Policy on the prevention and management of conflicts of interest
The agency wishes to have an external body with the necessary perspective to help ensure that its missions are carried out in accordance with the ethical principles applicable to the field of public health (see the missions of the Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee and its activities).

Ethical issues related to the agency’s missions
Ethical issues of an individual and collective nature frequently arise during the design, conduct, and reporting of results from investigations, surveys, and surveillance systems; the testing of innovative prevention programs; the development of prevention messages; the definition and implementation of public health interventions, health promotion and education, or behavioral change toward health-promoting behaviors, and the evaluation of the impact of these actions, as well as the production of opinions and recommendations.

Through this external body, the agency aims to enhance its capacity for reflection and analysis of the ethical issues associated with the execution of its missions in the areas of prevention, health promotion, monitoring, surveillance, and investigations (without prejudice to the bodies provided for by regulations, particularly regarding biomedical studies and compliance with the Data Protection Act).

The Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee is specifically responsible for formulating opinions and recommendations on any ethical issues raised during the implementation of the agency’s scientific programs and activities.

In this context, the following will be of particular concern:

• the clear articulation of the purpose of surveillance, alert, and investigation systems for non-experts;

• the representation or image of health for the public or affected groups that may arise from the selected surveillance targets and indicators and their relevance to action (e.g., migrant health, vaccination coverage indicators, selection of population groups…);

• understanding the environmental, social, and individual factors that influence the health status of populations and addressing the issue of inequalities in support of social change to improve population health;

• the protection of personal data, with particular attention to enhancing data-linking capabilities;

• the application of rules regarding participant consent in studies and surveillance systems, and the consideration of ethical aspects in the opinions and recommendations arising from the agency’s programs, including in the area of preparedness and support for responding to health threats;

• the dissemination of information and communication efforts targeting the general public or specific population groups (risk of stigmatization, perception of risk, social impact of using certain indicators, etc.);

• the necessity and/or relevance of forums for dialogue and consultation with the public, public health stakeholders, and decision-makers.

Committee members are appointed for a four-year term.

The Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee is convened by its chair or at the request of the Director General of Santé publique France. It meets in plenary session at least three times a year, either in person or via web conference. In addition, working meetings of the Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee are held via web conference at a frequency to be determined, in order to review the cases presented in plenary sessions with the teams of Santé publique France and to discuss with the committee’s secretariat the implementation of the action plan recently developed by the agency.

The Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee may be called upon during its term to participate in communication events aimed at raising awareness of the agency’s approach (internal webinars, participation in Santé publique France conferences, inter-agency meetings, etc.). Annual joint meetings between the Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee, the Scientific Council, and the agency’s Committee for Openness and Dialogue may be organized.

Members will sign a “Confidentiality and Commitment Agreement” and undertake to comply with applicable ethical principles, to attend meetings regularly, and to participate in any necessary drafting or proofreading work in between meetings.

The committee has access to all information held by the agency necessary for the performance of its duties.

The Director General provides the committee with the resources necessary for its operation and takes the decisions he deems appropriate for the implementation of its opinions and recommendations.

The scientific coordination and administrative secretariat of this committee will be provided by the Scientific and International Directorate (DSIn) of Santé publique France.

The committee may conduct hearings with any individual whose knowledge and experience are deemed necessary for its mission, subject to the submission of a declaration of interests.

The Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee may call upon the assistance of any competent individual. The Chair of the Agency’s Scientific Council may be invited to attend meetings of the Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee. The following may participate in discussions, without voting rights: a representative of the Agency’s Executive Committee, the Scientific Director, and the secretariat of the Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee. They will be able to explain the Agency’s missions and the context of the ethical and deontological issues presented to the Ethics and Deontology Committee, and to facilitate the exchange of information between staff members and the Ethics and Deontology Committee in order to help promote the development of an ethical and deontological culture within the institution.

The agency’s ethics officer may be appointed to the Committee; if not a member of the Committee, they participate as a permanent guest, as does the scientific integrity officer of Santé publique France.

Agendas are prepared jointly by the Chair of the Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee and the Secretariat of the Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee.

The minutes of the Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee meetings, as well as the annual activity report, are prepared by the Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee secretariat prior to approval by the Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee.
The opinions and recommendations of the Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee are drafted by the Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee, without the involvement of the Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee Secretariat.

The Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee elects its chair from among its members. It operates in accordance with the provisions of its rules of procedure.

The Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee may be referred to within its area of competence by a member of the Board of Directors, the Scientific Council, or an expert committee; by the agency’s ethics officer designated pursuant to Article L. 1451-4; by the agency’s Director General; or by another agency employee.

It may also take up any ethics-related matter connected to Santé publique France’s missions that it deems relevant.

Any ethical issue arising from the implementation of the agency’s scientific programs and activities, proposed at the initiative of the CED, shall be subject to prior discussion with the General Directorate of Santé publique France to determine whether or not to include it in the committee’s work program, during which the procedures for review and the response expected by the agency shall be established.

The Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee may only deliberate if at least five members are present. It issues its opinions by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast. Dissenting opinions are noted.

Workload for members

The Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee meets in plenary session at least three times a year (one- to two-day meetings), either in person or via web conference. In addition, working meetings of the Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee are held via web conference at a frequency to be determined (approximately half a day every 6 to 8 weeks) to review the cases presented at plenary sessions.

In addition to attending meetings, members may be called upon to participate in specific activities that may require their involvement for between 5 and 10 days per year.

Role and Additional Responsibilities of the Chair of the Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee

The Chair is a member of the Board of Directors in an advisory capacity; the Board of Directors meets three times a year.
The Chair presents the annual activity report to the Board of Directors. The Chair may be invited to meetings of the Scientific Council or the Steering and Dialogue Committee to ensure a link between these bodies. The Chair participates in joint meetings with the chairs of the three committees.

This additional workload is estimated at 4 to 6 days per year, for a total workload of 9 to 16 days per year.

Travel and subsistence expenses are reimbursed in accordance with the terms and conditions applicable to civilian government employees.

Compensation for loss of income in the case of self-employed individuals, as well as compensation for time spent attending meetings and for work performed, will be provided in accordance with the schedule established by the Board of Directors of Santé publique France.

Your personal data is processed under the responsibility of Santé publique France. The processing is based on the implementation of pre-contractual measures related to the applicant’s application to the committee.

• For unsuccessful candidates: CVs and application materials will be deleted within three months following the conclusion of the selection process;

• For candidates selected for the committee:

  • CVs and application materials will be retained for up to one year after the end of your term as part of your participation on the committee;

  • certain financial documents (bank account information, proof of identity, etc.) that may be requested from you at a later date, as they are necessary for the reimbursement of your travel expenses and allowances, must, in accordance with the law, be retained for 5 years after the final payment.

The data will be processed by authorized personnel at Santé publique France, and its subcontractors will have access to this information only to the extent necessary for the performance of their duties.

You may exercise your rights to object, access, rectify, erase, and restrict the processing of personal data by contacting Santé publique France, Data Protection Officer, 12 rue du Val d’Osne, 94415 Saint Maurice Cedex or dpo@santepubliquefrance.fr (please mention the name of your committee).

You may exercise your rights of access, rectification, and restriction regarding other data by also contacting Santé publique France, Data Protection Officer, 12 rue du Val d’Osne, 94415 Saint Maurice Cedex or dpo@santepubliquefrance.fr (please mention the name of your committee).

If you believe that your data rights are not being respected, you may file a complaint with the National Commission on Informatics and Liberties.

For more information on this data processing: dpo@santepubliquefrance.fr.