Basic Policy Concerning Physical Fitnessand Sports Medicine Research

　　The Japanese Society of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine (hereinafter referred to as JSPFSM) is Member Society No. 39 of the Japanese Association of Medical Sciences. It fully understands the purpose of the advance registration system for clinical research intervention introduced on April 1, 2009, and is making a continuous effort to keep its members informed in regard to forming research plans and appropriately conducting experiments. In accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, when conducting experiments or research involving human subjects, members of the JSPFSM must understand that they are required to respect the dignity and human rights of research subjects, to obtain informed consent from research subjects, to provide research subjects with explanations regarding research content, and to protect personal information, in addition to obtaining information regarding and comprehending accurate knowledge of, as well as abiding by, relevant laws and regulations concerning interventions or observational study related to the advance registration system for clinical research intervention.
　　On September 17, 2010, the JSPFSM held an open symposium entitled “Ethics and Laws Concerning Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine Research” as a joint program with the Science Council of the Japan Committee on Health/Human Life Science and the Subcommittee on Health and Sports Science. Lectures were given by four speakers under the following titles: “Basic Principles of Research Ethics – Rules for Research Involving Human Subjects (Shimon Tashiro, assistant professor, University of Tokyo), “Ethical Issues in Publishing Research Outcomes” (Kiichiro Tsutani, professor, University of Tokyo), “Legal Issues after Publishing Research Outcomes” (Takahisa Fukazawa, attorney), and “Designated Remarks” (Satoshi Kurihara, president of Tokyo Jikei University), in order to deepen the listeners’ understanding of the concept of research ethics and their essence. The symposium promoted greater understanding of what research ethics consist of, the establishment of research ethics, the three principles of the Belmont Report, benefit-risk evaluation, the significance of ethical principles, the Clinical Trial Registry, duplicate publication, the relationship with school health, research evidence, statistical evidence, inspection evidence, consultative evidence, the Constitution of Japan Chapter III “Rights and Duties of the People”, Articles 13, 18 and 31 of the Constitution of Japan, informed consent, the mechanics of the manifestation of intent, Article 90 of the Civil Code “Public Policy”, and adherence to the due process of law.
　　The JSPFSM has listed the contents of this symposium in its journal, “Japanese Journal of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine” Vol. 59 (2010), P943 – 961, to form a common foundation for the concept of ethics in physical fitness and sports medicine research.