Only complete applications will be considered.

As the agency serves the health needs of everyone, at all stages of life, across the entire country, it seeks to ensure that its governing bodies, through their composition and the experience of their members, are capable of addressing all of these situations.

Candidates will be selected by a jury convened by the agency, based on the information provided in the cover letter, the candidates’ alignment with the required competencies, and an analysis of conflicts of interest. The jury will ensure that the essential skills required for the Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee to fully carry out its duties are represented within its ranks, and that gender parity and diversity are taken into account during the selection of candidates.

Declarations of interest will be reviewed by Santé publique France’s Internal Ethics Committee.

Candidates will be informed of the outcome of the review of their application via email from the secretariat of the Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee following approval of the Committee’s composition by the Board of Directors (during the first quarter of 2022).

Learn more about Santé publique France’s missions.

The Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee is tasked with ^{the following} responsibilities:

1. To continuously monitor best practices in the area of conflict of interest prevention in similar institutions, particularly abroad;

2. 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;

3. To evaluate and issue an opinion on the measures put in place to ensure the independence of staff members when they speak 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;

4. 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;

5. 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 submits its opinions and recommendations to the person or body that referred the matter to it, to the Board of Directors, and to the Agency’s Director General. Its opinions are made public in accordance with rules ensuring respect for privacy.

The Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee consists of seven members, including its chairperson.

Members are appointed for a term of four years by decision of the Chairman of the Board of Directors, following approval of the list of members by the Board of Directors, from among individuals recognized for their knowledge and expertise in professional conduct and ethics, and after review of their conflicts of interest, as defined by the provisions of Article L. 1451-1.

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 duties of a member of the Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee are incompatible with membership in any other body of the agency and with any contractual relationship with it, and are subject to all ethical obligations applicable to the agency.

The Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee may call upon the assistance of any qualified person.

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 the discussions, without voting rights: a representative of the Agency’s Executive Committee, a staff representative selected from among the staff representatives elected to the Board of Directors, the Deputy Scientific Director reporting to the Director General, and the secretariat of the Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee. They shall be able to explain the Agency’s missions and the context of the ethical and professional conduct issues raised before the Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee, and to facilitate the exchange of information between staff members and the Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee in order to help promote the development of an ethical and professional conduct culture within the Agency.

The goal is to recruit an expert in professional conduct and ethics from a variety of disciplines (ethics, law, epidemiology, health prevention and promotion, public health, philosophy, humanities, and social sciences, etc.).

Two more specific areas of expertise have been identified:

1. 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 and activities of the Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee).

2. 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; and 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 relevant 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, etc.).

• 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 increasing the capacity for data linkage;

• The application of rules regarding participant consent in studies and surveillance systems.

• 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 the response 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 professionals, and decision-makers.

Operating Procedures

The Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee is convened by its chair or at the request of the agency’s executive director. 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 at plenary sessions.

Agendas are prepared jointly by the Chair of the Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee, the Deputy Scientific Director reporting to the Executive Director, 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 secretariat of the Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee.

The Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee elects its chair from among its members. It establishes its operating procedures in accordance with the Agency’s internal regulations and the resources allocated to it. It informs the Board of Directors and the Director General of these procedures. The Committee has access to all information held by the Agency necessary for the exercise of its functions. The Director General shall provide the Committee with the resources necessary for its operation under the conditions set forth in the deliberations of the Board of Directors and shall take the decisions she deems appropriate for the implementation of its opinions and recommendations.

The Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee may be referred to within its scope 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 matter it deems relevant.

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

According to the regulations, the Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee meets in plenary session at least three times a year (meetings lasting one to two days), 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.

The Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee organizes at least once a year a seminar or workshop for Santé publique France staff to raise awareness of its operations, role, and work.

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 Committee for Guidance and Dialogue with Society to ensure a link with these bodies.
This additional workload is estimated at approximately 5 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.