On 30 May 2025, the General Ethics Council (GEC) met at the headquarters of the General Curia. Continuing a practice inaugurated in the last six years, the Council will act as a collegial body to assist the General Governments of the Hospitaller Order of St. John of God (OH) and the Congregation of the Hospitaller Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in ethical matters (HSC).

The meeting was held in hybrid mode. The following participated in person: Bro. Joaquim Erra (General Councillor OH, Rome), Prof. Jürgen Wallner (Vienna, Austrian Province OH), Sister Prof. Margarita Bofarull (Instituto Borja de Bioética, Barcelona, OH), Sister Maria Carmen Martín (General Councillor HSC, Spain), Dr. Joan Bertrán Muñoz (Internist, Sant Rafael Hospital, Barcelona HSC), Ms Ana Cristina Abreu (Nursing Director, Funchal, Portugal, HSC) and Dr Michele Venanzi (Psychologist, Villa San Benedetto Menni, Albese/Como, Italy HSC). Participants via Zoom: Dr. Dominik Rahammer (Medical Internist, Hospital Munich, Germany, OH), Dr. Silvia Oger (regional ethics contact person for Latin America OH, Argentina) and Bro. Cosme Hamaouzo (regional ethics contact person for Africa OH, Equatorial Guinea). Ms Maria Lee (regional ethics contact person for Asia/Pacific OH, Korea) was absent due to other commitments.

The following items were on the agenda: revision of the rules of procedure of the General Ethics Council, updating of the Codes of Ethics of the two institutes, methods for contacting regional representatives, methods for sharing ethical issues and collaboration with internal and external forums, and finally, identification of emerging ethical needs.

An important decision taken at the meeting is that the two institutes will, in future, develop a common code of ethics.

The next meeting will take place, again in hybrid mode, on 3 November 2025.