In accordance with the Constitution, as ratified by the National Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution, the Academy of Medical Sciences of the Islamic Republic of Iran is charged with pursuing high-level objectives, including the advancement of medical ethics, the realization of equity in health, the honoring and exemplification of Islamic foundations, appropriate cultural development, and the growth and dissemination of knowledge in philosophy, wisdom, ethics, and Islamic jurisprudence in the field of health and medicine: Therefore the Scientific Group on Philosophy, Medical Ethics, and Biosciences has been established to advance these objectives. The group’s principal focus, in addition to macro-level monitoring of the health sector with respect to medical-ethics standards and fostering alignment among principal stakeholders and responsible institutions, is to create an enabling environment for strengthening Islamic culture, spiritual health, and medical ethics and, as far as practicable, to translate ethical values and professional medical-ethics standards into concrete practice by providing actionable solutions. The group also supports the foundation and expansion of knowledge in philosophy and wisdom, and in Islamic ethics and jurisprudence as they relate to health and medicine, and facilitates the training of human resources in these domains through cooperation between seminaries and universities.

Through the development of a strategic plan for medical ethics, the Group endeavors to advance its vision, “the institutionalization of knowledge and practice of medical ethics based on Islamic and humanistic norms across all pillars of the health system of the Islamic Republic of Iran, with the aim of establishing a responsive health system and full respect for human dignity,” and to fulfill its mission of “striving to achieve comprehensive knowledge and governance (including needs assessment, policy-making, planning, implementation, monitoring and surveillance, evaluation, and re-planning) of medical ethics in the educational, research, and health-service domains, with due regard for Islamic values, respect for human dignity, and equity in health.”

Membership comprises distinguished professors, scholars, specialists, and researchers from relevant academic disciplines, including medical sciences, the humanities, and medical ethics, alongside seminary scholars and health-system policymakers; the group convenes monthly to deliberate, plan, and coordinate activities consistent with its strategic objectives.