Abstract

The ethical dilemma between the moral duties towards oneself and others and the debate on criteria for judging the morality of human actions, which cannot be solved once and for all, are particularly relevant in the field of scientific research. The present contribution proposes some reflections about the following questions: «When is the opinion of an Ethics Committee really necessary?». «Under what circumstances and conditions can a researcher take sole responsibility for his/her research without consulting a third-party control body, such as a local Ethics Committee?».