摘要:On 13 th January 2015 the Ethics Committee of the Is- tituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS, Italian National Institute of Health) adopted the "Code of Ethics of the Italian Na- tional Institute of Health" [1], which was implemented by means of an ad hoc Order [2]. The ethical principles, values and criteria affirmed in the Code reflect the multitude and broad range of activi- ties and functions performed by the Institute. As stated in its statute, the Institute "pursues the protection of public health, especially through the exercise of research, control, consultancy, regulatory and training activities" [3]. The Institute's research studies range from basic re- search to clinical and diagnostic applications in a transla- tional perspective, while its institutional responsibilities cover the whole range of public health interventions.