Being able to communicate effectively is perhaps the most

important of all life skills. It is what enables us to pass information

to other people, and to understand what is said to us. You only
have to watch a baby listening intently to its mother and trying to
repeat the sounds that she makes to understand how
fundamental is the urge to communicate.
Communication skills may take a lifetime to master—if indeed anyone can ever claim to have
mastered them. There are, however, many things that you can do fairly easily to improve your
communication skills and ensure that you are able to transmit and receive information
effectively.

Read more at: https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/communication-skills.html

they provide a practical and ethical framework for decision making and because they instill a
sense of responsibility and accountability.

Most of us are familiar with the Hippocratic Oath, at least the modern version,
which is used by many medical schools in graduating their students. Its
principles include teaching the next generation of doctors, treating the ill to the
best of one’s ability and respecting a patient’s privacy. The oath is not legally
binding, however, it remains a common expression of the ideal conduct for a
physician.

The medical and healthcare fields are full of more focused professional and
ethical guidelines covering all aspects of medical practice and patient care,
many from national and international membership organizations and societies.
Likewise, the legal, teaching, engineering, accounting, as well as many other
professions, claim their own sets of guidelines.

Why are professional guidelines important? Because they provide a practical

and ethical framework for decision making and because they instill a sense of
responsibility and accountability.

The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) is working with a
task force of scientists, clinicians, ethicists and others to update its Guidelines
for the Clinical Translation of Stem Cells.  Originally published in December
2008, the guidelines provide a roadmap for this burgeoning scientific field, and
especially for scientists and clinicians working to bring their science to the
clinic. They call for rigorous ethical and professional standards in the
development of stem cell therapies, including evaluation and oversight of
research by credible third parties, a thorough informed consent process and
transparency in operations and reporting.

The revision is a vital task, as, each day, research shines new light on our
understanding of human development and disease, technologies advance and
new approaches enter clinical trials. While the research marches forward, the
key principles of rigor, review and transparency that underpin the guidelines
remain steady.

Many of these same concepts are distilled in the ISSCR’s informational

website, A Closer Look at Stem Cells, which has pages exploring the process
by which laboratory research becomes medicine and outlining the clinical trial
process. This information may be of particular interest to those of
you considering participation in a clinical trial or evaluating an experimental
stem cell treatment. The Closer Look website can help you to understand the
principles outlined in the ISSCR’s guidelines, learn more about stem cells and
their role in the body, and make informed decisions about your health.

The ISSCR’s new DRAFT Guidelines for Stem Cell Research and Clinical
Translation are available for review and public comment through September
10, 2015. We welcome your feedback on the guidelines and encourage your
continued use of the Closer Look website. Our hope is that these resources
help you to understand the clinical translation process, give you a framework
by which to hold the field accountable and contribute to your support for and
trust in the scientists who are working hard to advance important stem cell
research from the lab to those who need it most.