On 1 January 2012, following the reorganisation of intergovernmental bodies at the Council of Europe, the Committee on Bioethics (DH-BIO) has taken over the responsibilities of the Steering Committee on Bioethics (CDBI) for the tasks assigned by the Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine as well as for the intergovernmental work on the protection of human rights in the field of biomedicine. The reorganisation results also in creating a closer link between the DH-BIO and the Steering Committee on Human Rights (CDDH).

The Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine is the first international treaty in this field (adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 19 November 1996; entry into force on 1 December 1999). It has four additional Protocols:

Additional Protocol to the Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine, on the Prohibition of Cloning Human Beings (CETS 168)

Additional Protocol to the Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine, on Transplantation of Organs and Tissues of Human Origin (CETS 186)

Additional Protocol to the Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine, concerning Biomedical Research (CETS 195)

Additional Protocol to the Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine concerning Genetic Testing for Health Purposes (CETS 203)