BIOETHICS – BIOLAW: SELECTED TOPICS

Entry Requirements

Proficient in English (C1)

The programme's aim

The rapid development of Bioethics worldwide, a product of outstanding progress in Biomedicine and Biotechnology over the last decades, has led to the adoption of ethical principles and legal rules that regulate all relevant applications at an international level. 

These norms appear in very different areas: From traditional patient/doctor relationships to interventions aiming at enhancing individual physical or mental characteristics; from conventional clinical trials and assisted reproduction methods to genetic interventions in humans and applications of 'Precision Medicine'; from end-of-life issues (such as euthanasia or assisted suicide) and transplants to the applications of artificial intelligence and big data management in healthcare. In our days, it is practically impossible to think about clinical practice and (even more so) to promote clinical research without a good knowledge of this complex normative environment. A comprehensive introduction to this normative environment illustrates the program’s aim.

Europe is currently the geographic region with the greatest growth and influence on Biomedical Law and Ethics. For this reason, the program pays particular attention to the European regulatory framework, starting however from the internationally recognised values of Bioethics.

The program has been designed within the interdisciplinary team of the BioMedLex Association (www.biomedlex.gr) to be accessible to anyone interested in Bioethics, regardless of their scientific or professional status. It consists of 24 self-contained lectures in the form of podcasts with accompanying educational material, covering a wide range of contemporary Biomedicine, in a way that highlights key ethical and legal issues and how to address them.

Educational objectives

The program aims to familiarise those who attend with the basic concepts of Ethics and Law in contemporary Biomedicine. It is, in fact, a guide for exploring a field that remains largely unknown not only to Medical Doctors and Life Scientists but also to those involved in relevant regulatory and policy issues (lawyers, ethicists, social and political scientists, policymakers, etc.). On completion, one can then delve into the study of more specific aspects of Biomedical Law and Ethics, which are increasingly highlighted by advances in modern Science and Technology.

Contact Info

t.vidalis@bioethics.gr

Experts

Εxperts Bioethics/Biolaw

Panagiotis Vidalis

Vasiliki Mollaki

Teaching Units - Duration

The 24 lectures of the program cover the following subjects:

- Patient/physician relationships

- End-of-life issues

- Medical malpractice

- Dementia and autonomy

- Vaccinations

- Patient prioritization (triage)

- Abortion

- Assisted reproduction

- Contraception/Sterilization

- PGD and embryo selection

- Stem cells and cloning

- Hybrids and Chimeras

- Biobanking

- Clinical trials

- Commercialization of the human body

- Genetic interventions in humans

- Laboratory animals (pre-clinical research)

- Precision medicine and big data

- Artificial Intelligence in Biomedicine

- Autonomy and doping

- Brain health and neurolaw

- Genetic testing and data protection

- Patents in Biomedicine

- Transplantation

Teaching Units Presentation

1. Medical Malpractice: Examination of negligence or misconduct by healthcare professionals leading to harm or injury to patients, exploring ethical responsibilities, legal implications, and ways to prevent such occurrences.
2. Dementia and Autonomy: Ethical considerations surrounding decision-making capacity, autonomy, and care for individuals with dementia, addressing questions about informed consent and the balance between respecting autonomy and ensuring well-being.
3. Vaccinations: Ethical analysis of public health policies, individual rights, and societal responsibilities regarding vaccination programs, including issues of informed consent, safety, and mandatory vaccination.
4. Patient Prioritization (Triage): Ethical frameworks for allocating limited healthcare resources during emergencies or scarcity situations, prioritizing patients based on factors like severity of condition, prognosis, and fairness.
5. Abortion: Exploration of moral, legal, and philosophical aspects related to the termination of pregnancy, encompassing discussions on personhood, bodily autonomy, and the rights of the fetus versus those of the pregnant individual.
6. Assisted Reproduction: Ethical considerations surrounding fertility treatments, reproductive technologies, and issues such as access, consent, and the rights of donors, recipients, and resulting offspring.
7. Contraception/Sterilization: Analysis of ethical implications of contraception, sterilization methods, their availability, societal impacts, and considerations regarding individual autonomy and reproductive rights.
8. PGD and Embryo Selection: Examination of ethical dilemmas arising from pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) and embryo selection, involving issues of genetic manipulation, disability, and parental autonomy.
9. Stem Cells and Cloning: Ethical scrutiny of stem cell research, cloning technologies, and the moral implications of manipulating cells or creating organisms for therapeutic or reproductive purposes.
10. Hybrids and Chimeras: Examination of ethical boundaries regarding the creation of hybrid or chimera organisms, considering moral, legal, and societal implications of combining human and non-human genetic material.
11. Biobanking: Ethical considerations surrounding the collection, storage, and use of biological samples for research, addressing issues of informed consent, privacy, and fair distribution of benefits.
12. Clinical Trials: Analysis of ethical guidelines and practices in conducting research involving human subjects, focusing on issues of informed consent, participant safety, and equitable access to experimental treatments.
13. Commercialization of the Human Body: Exploration of ethical concerns regarding commodification of human tissues, organs, and body parts, addressing issues of exploitation, consent, and equitable distribution of profits.
14. Genetic Interventions in Humans: Ethical scrutiny of genetic engineering and gene editing in humans, considering concerns related to enhancement, inequality, and unintended consequences.
15. Laboratory Animals (Pre-Clinical Research): Examination of ethical considerations in using animals for scientific research, including questions of welfare, necessity, and alternatives to animal testing.
16. Precision Medicine and Big Data: Ethical implications of utilizing large-scale genomic and health data for personalized healthcare, focusing on privacy, consent, and equitable access to advancements.
17. Artificial Intelligence in Biomedicine: Ethical analysis of AI applications in healthcare, addressing concerns about bias, accountability, and the balance between technological innovation and human expertise.
18. Autonomy and Doping: Ethical considerations in sports regarding the use of performance-enhancing substances, exploring fairness, health risks, and the autonomy of athletes.
19. Brain Health and Neurolaw: Intersection of neuroscience, ethics, and law, examining ethical implications of brain interventions, cognitive enhancements, and the legal responsibility for actions influenced by brain conditions.
20. Genetic Testing and Data Protection: Ethical scrutiny of genetic testing services, focusing on privacy, consent, and the responsible use and protection of genetic information.
21. Patents in Biomedicine: Examination of ethical issues related to patenting biological materials, treatments, or technologies, addressing questions of access, innovation, and equitable distribution of benefits.
22. Transplantation: Ethical considerations in organ and tissue transplantation, including issues of organ scarcity, allocation criteria, and the balance between saving lives and ethical procurement practices.