The Council of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) adopted the Recommendation on Responsible Innovation in Neurotechnology (OECD/LEGAL/0457) on December 11, 2019. It is the first international standard on responsible innovation in neurotechnology, developed over five years by the OECD Working Party on Biotechnology, Nanotechnology and Converging Technologies on a proposal from the Committee for Scientific and Technological Policy.
The Recommendation sets out nine principles, among them promoting responsible innovation, prioritising safety assessment, promoting inclusivity, fostering scientific collaboration, enabling societal deliberation, strengthening the capacity of oversight and advisory bodies, and safeguarding personal brain data and other information. Addressed to governments and innovators, it aims to anticipate and address the ethical, legal and social challenges raised by health-related neurotechnologies while promoting innovation in the field. As an OECD Recommendation, the instrument is not legally binding but represents a political commitment of its adherents.