The Declaration of Taipei is a foundational statement adopted by the World Medical Association (WMA) that outlines ethical guidelines for biomedical research involving human subjects, particularly related to human biological materials and biobanks, which are increasingly important in medical research due to advances in genetics and data science, especially in the context of big data, genomics, and global sharing of health information.

It was adopted in 2006 and amended in 2016 with intention to complement the Declaration of Helsinki, which focuses more broadly on ethical principles for medical research involving humans.

The ongoing revision seeks to address emerging ethical challenges related to digital health, artificial intelligence, and large-scale data systems, with a focus on privacy, transparency, governance, and preventing the misuse or non-medical exploitation of health data. 

The First Open Expert Meeting on the Revision of the WMA Declaration of Taipei is scheduled to take place from December 4–6, 2025, in Taipei, Taiwan. Who has a say? The World Medical Association is inviting physicians, ethicists, health professionals, and other stakeholders to participate in the revision process. The meeting is an in-person event, open to all WMA members and interested individuals and aims to gather input on the current draft of the declaration. 

 

 

Let’s recall the main ethical principles of the Declaration of Taipei.

1. Informed Consent: Individuals must give voluntary, informed consent for the collection, storage, and use of their biological materials and personal data.

2. Privacy and Confidentiality: Strong protections must be in place to maintain the privacy of individuals and the confidentiality of their data.

3. Governance and Oversight: Research using health databases and biobanks must be reviewed by ethical oversight bodies.

4. Transparency and Accountability: Institutions and researchers must be transparent about how data and materials are used and ensure accountability throughout the research process.

5. Right to Withdraw: Participants have the right to withdraw their materials or data from a biobank at any time, where feasible.

6. Equity and Benefit Sharing: Benefits from research, such as medical advancements, should be equitably shared, especially when communities are involved.

The significance of the Declaration cannot be overemphasized. In an era marked by exponential growth in biomedical data and cross-border research collaboration, the Declaration of Taipei provides an essential ethical compass. It addresses the dual imperative of facilitating scientific advancement while safeguarding individual rights and societal values. It also underscores the importance of global ethical harmonization, particularly as research infrastructures become increasingly international in scope.

What to expect? A strengthened ethical framework that addresses modern challenges such as big data, AI, and cross-border biobanks, more emphasis on consent models, transparency, and governance. Also, possibly new language around commercial use and benefit sharing to protect people and communities. And last, but not the least, efforts to make the Declaration more globally relevant and inclusive. Let’s keep a close eye!