The OECD Approach to Responsible Innovation

Ultimately, technology will be useless unless it can be diffused and built into society in ways that are socially robust—trustworthy, debated, accessible, and acceptable. Thirty-six member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development have recently enacted the Council Recommendation on Responsible Innovation in Neurotechnology, adopted on December 11, 2019. The Recommendation is the first international instrument in its field. Committed to the idea that we must not just innovate more but innovate well, the Recommendation embodies a “responsible innovation” approach that could serve as a model for technology governance both in neurotechnology and beyond. The Recommendation aims to help public and private actors address the ethical, legal and social challenges of neurotechnology while encouraging innovation. At least five overarching elements help set out a novel approach to neurotechnology governance: (i) mission orientation, (ii) inclusivity of the innovation process (iii) anticipatory governance, (iv) societal deliberation, and (v) the role of the private sector.