Biolaw and Policy in the Twenty-First Century (eBook)

ERICK VALDES  is a jurist and philosopher. He holds a PhD in Philosophy and Postdocs in Bioethics and Philosophy from Georgetown University, USA, as well as a Postdoc in Law from the Washington College of Law, USA. He is a former Adjunct Research Professor of Bioethics at the Kennedy Institute of Ethics at Georgetown University, and is currently a Visiting Research Professor at the University Center for Human Values, Princeton University, USA. He is a Visiting Professor at the London School of Economics and Political Sciences, UK, American University of Sovereign Nations, USA, University for the Humanities of Moscow, Russia, University of La Coruña, Spain, and University of Princeton, USA, among others. He is a Founding Member and President of the International Network of Biolaw (www.internationalnetworkbiolaw.org), Vice-President of the Ibero-American Association of Practical Philosophy, and a member of the Colombian Institute of Bioethical Studies. He is the author of several books and papers on bioethics and biolaw, both in English and Spanish.   JUAN ALBERTO LECAROS  holds a PhD in Philosophy from the Complutense University of Madrid, Spain, and a Master in Bioethics from the Borja Institute of Bioethics, Ramon Llull University, Barcelona, Spain. He is Director of the Center for Bioethics and the Observatory of Bioethics and Law at the Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago de Chile. Further, he is an Adjunct Professor at the Borja Institute of Bioethics, Ramon Llull University and a founding member of the International Network of Biolaw. He was awarded the Manuel Velasco Suárez Award for Excellence in Bioethics, granted by the Pan American Health Organization, Washington, DC, in 2012.

Foreword 7
References 9
Acknowledgements 10
Contents 11
Editors and Contributors 13
Introduction 15
Foundations of Biolaw 21
A Defense of Universal Principles in Biomedical Ethics 22
1 Introduction 22
2 Principlism as a Theory About Universal Moral Principles 23
3 Common Morality as the Source of Universal Principles 24
4 The Framework of Universal Principles 24
4.1 Respect for Autonomy 25
4.2 Nonmaleficence 26
4.3 Beneficence 26
4.4 Justice 27
5 Do European Bioethics and Biolaw Need a Different Framework of Principles? 27
6 Does Eastern Ethics Rest on Different Cultural Principles? 30
7 Correlativity as the Connection Between Universal Principles and Human Rights 31
8 Specifying Universal Principles to Render Them Practical 32
9 Specification in Action: Research Ethics and the Idea of Overlapping Consensus 33
10 The Justification of Specifications Using the Method of Reflective Equilibrium 34
11 Conclusion 35
References 35
The Idea of European Biolaw: Basic Principles 37
1 Biolaw in Our Time 37
2 The New Scope of Ethics 39
3 Ethical Guidelines for Biotechnology 41
4 From Ethical Visions to Moral Norms 43
4.1 The Narrative Vision 43
4.2 The Ethical Idea 44
4.3 The Basic Ethical Principles 45
4.4 The Moral Norms 46
5 The Dialectics of the Four Principles 47
5.1 Autonomy 47
5.2 Dignity 48
5.3 Integrity 48
5.4 Vulnerability 49
6 Conclusion 50
References 50
Four Ethical Principles in European Bioethics and Biolaw: Autonomy, Dignity, Integrity and Vulnerability 51
1 Introduction 51
2 Protection of Human Beings 52
3 The Definitions of Basic Ethical Principles 53
4 Foundations and Criticisms of the Basic Ethical Principles 56
References 57
Towards a New Conception of Biolaw 59
1 Introduction 59
2 The Insufficiencies of the Current Conception of Biolaw 60
3 The Need for Biolaw 62
4 Sources of Biolaw 63
4.1 Origin of Sources 63
4.2 The Identification of Fundamental Rights Applicable to Science and New Technologies 65
4.3 New Human Rights Stakeholders 65
4.4 Potential Violators of Human Rights 66
4.5 Biolaw: From a Technical Law to a Law of Principles 67
5 The Principles of Biolaw 67
5.1 Respect for Autonomy 68
5.2 Respect for Dignity 69
5.3 Respect for Integrity 69
5.4 Respect for Vulnerability 69
6 Juridification of Biolaw Principles 70
7 The Constitutional Status of Biorights 73
8 Conclusions 75
References 75
Approach to Biolaw as an Autonomous Juridical Discipline 77
1 Introduction 77
2 Concept of Biolaw 79
3 Object of Biolaw 79
4 Biolaw as a Discipline of Interdisciplinary Nature 80
4.1 Disciplinarity, Multidisciplinarity and Interdisciplinarity in Juridical Research and in the Application of Law 80
4.2 Interdisciplinarity as a Characteristic Scientific Method of Biolaw 81
5 Delimitation of Biolaw from Other Related Disciplines 83
5.1 Medical Law or Biomedical Law 83
5.2 Sanitary Law 84
5.3 Legal Medicine 85
5.4 Bioethics 85
6 Relations Between Biolaw and Bioethics 86
7 The Method for Biolaw Discourse 89
7.1 Citizen Participation: Procedures 90
7.2 Support of Ideological Pluralism 90
7.3 Institutionalization of the Channels of Expression 91
7.4 Universalization of a Juridical-Ethical Minimum 92
7.5 Other Formal Procedures 93
8 Conclusions 93
References 94
The Essential Features of 21st Century Biolaw 95
1 Introduction: Three Challenges for 21st Century Biolaw 95
2 Anthropocene: Pros and Cons of Biotechnology 96
3 The Match Between Law and Life Sciences 98
4 An Open Biolaw 99
5 An Updated Biolaw 102
6 An Attentive Biolaw 105
7 Threats and Opportunities 107
References 108
Biolaw and Bioethics: Convergences and Divergences 110
1 Introduction 110
2 Towards a Systemic View of Biolaw 112
2.1 A Return to the Debate on the Relationship Between Ethics and Law 112
2.2 Biolaw as an Open System: Social Morality, Civic Dialogue and Regulatory Policies 114
3 Approaches of Law to Bioethical Problems: Sources of Biolaw 116
3.1 Biolaw in the International Law of Human Rights 116
3.2 Biolaw in Contemporary Constitutionalism and in the Legislation 120
3.3 Biolaw in International Constitutional Jurisprudence 121
4 Reference Frameworks for Biolaw and Their Relationship with Bioethics: A Plurality of Models 122
4.1 Reference Frameworks and Models in Biolaw 122
4.2 Interface Between Bioethics and Biolaw: Towards a Middle Way Between Convergence and Divergence to Face the Challenges of the 21st Century 128
5 Conclusion 133
References 133
Biolaw in the World and in Latin America 136
Universal Ethics and Biolaw for a Multicultural World 137
1 Nationalism Is not the End of Universalism 137
2 Harmony 138
3 Bioethics as a Merger of National Ethical Traditions 140
4 Living as an Ecocentric Being 140
5 Autonomy 143
6 Justice 144
7 Equity 145
8 Beneficence 145
9 Do no Harm—Non-maleficence 146
10 Stewardship 147
11 Power Structures and Who Decides 149
12 Our Common Future Is Hard Work 151
References 152
From Biolaw to Technological Innovation in Law 153
1 A Personal Involvement 153
2 A Prime 154
3 Body and Liberty (The First Period) 156
3.1 The Legal Realm of the Individual and Italian Law 157
3.2 The Piergiorgio Welby Case 158
3.3 The Englaro Case (PVS) 159
3.4 Italian Caselaw and International Leading Cases in PVS Patients 160
3.5 Body and Liberty as a Largely Settled Field 161
4 Genetics and Law: Familiarity Versus Individualism (The Second Period) 161
4.1 Individual Privacy and Family Ties in Genetics 163
4.2 The Biological Group as Legal Artifact 168
5 Converging Technologies and the Law (The Third Period from 2005 in Progress) 169
5.1 Does the Next Golden Age Require Any Law? 169
5.2 Neuroethics and Neurolaw 171
5.3 From Robots to Autonomous Systems 173
6 Biolaw or, Simply, Law Today (The Fourth Period) 177
6.1 Technological Invisible Ontology 177
7 Is All This Still Within Biolaw? 179
References 180
Liquid Biolaw: The Unbearable Lightness of the Post-Modern Age 182
1 Introduction 183
2 Metaphor of Fluidity or Liquefaction 184
3 Lightness of Postmodern Discourses 185
References 191
Biolaw and Tensions of Constitutional Law in Latin America 193
1 Introduction 193
2 Tensions 194
3 Conclusion 196
References 196
Justice, Human Rights and the Persistence of Hunger: A Current Issue for Bioethics and Biolaw in the 21st Century 198
1 Introduction 198
2 Vulnerability, Vulnerabilization, Hunger and Human Rights 199
3 Human Rights and the Principle of Vulnerability 201
4 The Human Right to Food According to the United Nations Organization: The Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 202
5 The Principle of Vulnerability, the Interdependence of Human Rights and the Human Right to Food 204
6 The Contributions of the Special Rapporteurship of the United Nations for the Human Right to Food 206
7 The Human Right to Food: Standards of the Inter-American System to Guarantee the Right to Food 208
8 Limits and Tensions of the Human Right to Food in the Context of the Capitalist Model of Food Production in Costa Rica: A Reading from the Principle of Vulnerability 211
9 Conclusion 213
References 213
Biolaw, Diversity and Social Justice: The Emergence of Differentiated Rights 215
1 Introduction 215
2 Diversity and Difference in the Social Rule of Law 216
3 Ethnic Communities as Subject of Law 218
4 Right of Ethnic Communities to Prior Consultation and Free and Informed Consent 218
5 Right to Education of Ethnic Communities and Their Members 219
6 Recognition and Praxis of Differentiated Rights 220
6.1 Justification of the Positive Differentiation from Contingencies Such as Ethnicity 222
7 Conclusions 223
References 223
The Constitutionalization of Biolaw in Colombia 224
1 Introduction 224
2 Constitutionalization of Law 225
3 Biolaw as a Legislative Discipline Susceptible of Constitutionalization 227
4 Biolaw in Colombian Constitutional Case Law 230
4.1 Surrogate Motherhood or Wombs Renting 230
4.2 Genetic Information and Biological Samples 231
4.3 Fundamental Right “to Be Tried” or “Right to Try” 232
5 Conclusion 233
References 233
Report on Biolaw’s State of the Art in Mexico 235
1 Biolaw in Mexico 235
2 Scientific Research 236
3 Research on Human Genome 237
4 Genetic Manipulation 238
5 Stem Cells 239
6 Genetic Testing to Determine Filiation 239
7 Assisted Fertilization 240
8 Legal Termination of Pregnancy 241
9 Organ Transplantation 242
10 Personal Data Protection 243
11 Advanced Directives 243
12 Euthanasia 244
13 Other Issues that Must Be Addressed by Biolaw in Mexico 245
14 Final Reflections 246
References 246
Biolaw for the Biosciences, Health Care and Non-human Animals 247
Biolaw and ‘the Dual-Use Dilemma’: The Freedom of Scientific Research in Relationship with ‘Traditional’ and Emerging Sciences and Technologies 248
1 Introduction 248
2 The ‘Dual-Use Dilemma’ 249
3 The Freedom of Scientific Research 251
4 The Relationship Between the Freedom of Scientific Research and Other Rights/Freedoms/Needs 253
4.1 The Right/Need to Security 253
4.2 The Right to Life 254
4.3 The Right to Health 255
4.4 The Right to Environment 257
5 Proportionality and Reasonableness in Order to Draw the Relationship among Freedoms and Rights 257
6 How to (Concretely) Manage the ‘Dual-Use Dilemma’? 259
7 A Sort of Conclusion 262
References 262
Biolaw, Liberalism and Cognitive Enhancement: Identifying Harms 265
1 Introduction 265
2 Personal Affectation and Independent Values 266
3 Liberalism and the Harm Principle 268
4 Pharmacological Cognitive Enhancement and Third Party 268
4.1 A Form of Deception 269
4.2 A Mode of Coercion 271
4.3 Waste of Energies and Resources 272
4.4 Social Injustice 273
5 Consequences in Agents 274
5.1 Deceiving Oneself 276
5.2 Threatened Individuality 278
5.3 Non-autonomous Wishes 279
6 Depreciation of Independent Values 281
7 Conclusions 282
References 283
Genetic Manipulation and Human Genome in the Colombian Legal System. An Analysis from Biolaw 286
1 The State of the Art in Constitutional Matters 286
2 Provisions in Force on Genetic Material and Scientific Research 288
3 Guarantees Linked to Human Genome Research and the Confidentiality of Genome Information 289
4 Legislative Projects in Colombia Related to the Human Genome 292
5 Colombian Courts’ Decisions on Human Genome 292
6 Conclusion 293
References 294
Dysgenic Biomedical Practices and Their International Regulation: A Proposal from Biolaw 295
1 Introduction 295
2 A Case 296
3 Analysis 296
4 Categorical and Legal Extension of DGP Understood as a Kind of Non-therapeutic Genetic Manipulation 299
5 The Concepts of Inexorable Harm and Anticipated Protection of the Person 300
6 Insufficient International Regulation of Genetic Manipulation 300
7 Conclusions 302
References 302
Palliative Cares as Human Rights: A Justification in the Light of Biolaw 304
1 Introduction 304
2 The End of Life. Disease and Death 305
3 Palliative Care as a Holistic and Humanistic Approach to Illness and Death 307
4 Legal Framework. The Proposal from the Philosophical Field: Palliative Care as a Human Right 310
5 The Essential Conditions for a Comprehensive Health System in Palliative Care 313
6 Use of Opioids 317
7 Costs 321
8 Proposal 322
References 325
Biolaw and Non-human Animals 327
1 Introduction 327
2 The Crisis of the Institution of the Person 328
3 Hypothesis About Non-human Animals 330
4 Conclusions 338
References 338
Index 341