Contents: Introduction and Keynote Papers: Introduction, Deryck Beyleveld, David Townend and Jessica Wright; Research ethics committees and data protection: an outline ofiInternational provisions, Deryck Beyleveld; What bodies are appropriate to run and manage research ethics committees?, Josef Glasa, David Townend and Matthew Wisbey; The clinical investigator's Responsibilities and how these should be interpreted by ethics committees, Lasse A. Lehtonen; Jurisprudential views of the relationship between law and ethics, Deryck Beyleveld; Research ethics committees: between ethics and law; Roberto Lattanzi; May research ethics committees approve unlawful actions and may they reject lawful actions?, Pierre Mallia and Ian Refalo. Report Framework, Questionnaire and Comparative Studies: Research ethics committee report framework, Deryck Beyleveld; Questionnaire sent to research ethics committees, Deryck Beyleveld; The establishment and general powers of research ethics committees, Jane Miller, David Moxon and Jessica Wright; General legal responsibilities and specific data protection matters facing research ethics committees, Jane Miller, David Moxon and Jessica Wright; Index.