In November 2025, the Ethics Advisory Board of NAKO e.V. said farewell to Professor Dr Jochen Taupitz from the University of Mannheim after many years of dedicated service on the board. Professor Dr Ruth Horn joined the six-member Ethics Advisory Board in April 2025. Prof. Taupitz’s position will be completed next year.
Since 2012, Prof. Dr. Jochen Taupitz has enriched the work of the Ethics Advisory Board with his comprehensive knowledge, extensive practical experience and great commitment, and has made a decisive contribution to the further development of the German National Cohort (NAKO). NAKO e.V. would like to express its sincere thanks to Prof. Taupitz for his many years of expertise and valuable advice as a member of the Ethics Advisory Board.
New member and confirmed members
Prof. Dr. Ruth Horn, Deputy Director of the Institute for Ethics and History of Health in Society at the Medical Faculty of the University of Augsburg and a new member of the Ethics Advisory Board since spring 2025, brings fresh impetus to the board. NAKO e.V. warmly welcomes her and looks forward to working with her.
In addition, the following members were confirmed in their positions in autumn 2025:
- Prof. Dr. Elmar Doppelfeld, former chair of the Working Group of Medical Ethics Committees in the Federal Republic of Germany
- Prof. Dr. Dr. Walter Lehmacher, former director of the Institute for Medical Statistics, Informatics and Epidemiology and chair of the Ethics Committee at the University of Cologne
- Prof. Dr. Markus M. Nöthen, Director of the Institute for Human Genetics at the University Hospital Bonn
- Prof. Dr. Michael Fuchs, Professor of Practical Philosophy/Ethics and Director of the Institute for Practical Philosophy/Ethics at the Catholic Private University of Linz, Austria
- Ursula Klinnert-Weber, study participant and retired teacher
The work of the Ethics Advisory Board
The Ethics Advisory Board is composed of independent experts representing ethical, social, scientific, medical and legal interests in the field of life sciences. The members are appointed by the general meeting of NAKO e.V. for a term of five years and advise the executive committee and the general meeting on all ethical issues relating to the conduct of studies.
The work is based on the NAKO Code of Ethics, which is co-developed by the advisory board and approved by the general assembly. The ethics advisory board serves as an independent guardian of ethical principles, supports the further development of the code of ethics, and advises on specific research projects. In addition to current issues, the committee is currently working on updating the Code of Ethics in order to continuously develop the ethical framework of the NAKO.
Further information
Association bodies and committees – German National Cohort (NAKO)