Hot genetic issues

Education and Seminars13.04.2010.

Organizer:

* European Centre for Life Sciences, Health and the Courts – Università di Pavia
* Consiglio Superiore della Magistratura Italia

Donators:

* 1) Comitato Nazionale per la Biosicurezza e le Biotecnologie Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri
* 2) Fondazione CARIPLO (Milano)

Seminar date: 2005/09/07

Dedline for registration: 2005/08/04
Contact information:

* Name: European Centre for Life Sciences, Health and the Courts – Università di Pavia
* Phone: mobile +39 338 5053317
* E-mail: amedeo.santosuosso@unipv.it

Preliminary Program

 

 

Consiglio Superiore della Magistratura

Italia

European Centre for Life Sciences, Health and the Courts – Università di Pavia (I)

 

 

European Network for Life Sciences, Health and the Courts – ENLSC

 

 

 

 

With the support of

 

Comitato Nazionale per la Biosicurezza e le Biotecnologie

Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri (I)

(http://www.governo.it/biotecnologie/index.html)

 

and

 

Fondazione CARIPLO (Milano, I)

(http://www.fondazionecariplo.it/)

 

 

 

 

 

First European Seminar for European judges and prosecutors

on

Hot genetic issues and the Courts

 

Pavia, 7th -10th September, 2005

 

Venue:

 

Collegio Ghislieri

(Piazza Ghislieri 5 - 27100 Pavia, I)

 

Laboratorio di Biologia dello Sviluppo

(Piazza Botta 9 – 27100 Pavia, I)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Official language: English (without simultaneous translation).

The format of the Pavia Seminar (7-10 September, 2005)

The program will follow the well internationally experienced ENLSC’s format, that has been adopted in Italy in courses and seminars co-sponsored with the Consiglio Superiore della Magistratura (I) since 2002.

The format has two main features : Hands-On-Lab and Legal Labs.

Hands-On-Lab is ENLSC’s most innovative method: a biological laboratory hosts a small group (about 20 people) of judges and prosecutors. During this activity (called scientific lab) judges receive basic information on biology and genetics, visit the lab and, mainly, participate (into small groups of 3-4 people shadowed by a researcher) in some elementary technical operations.

Legal Labs present the participants with the legal implications of genetics also through a careful examination of specific legal cases and an exchange of views thereof. Legal Labs are co-chaired by a jurist and a scientist, sometimes with a guest speaker (a philosopher or other scholar). The jurist presents the legal case and the Court’s decision. She/He stresses, on one hand, the pivotal issues rising from the interaction between law, science and ethic in a comparative perspective and, on the other hand, the possibility of alternative solutions to the case. The scientist presents the scientific basics that are necessary for a better understanding of the case and the decision. Finally, the jurist and the scientist suggest some open questions to the participants and open the discussion.

 

The basic assumption

With the significant advances in our knowledge of genetics and publication of the draft sequence of the human genome, the focus of research has moved toward postgenomics. The complete sequence of the human genome (announced February 12, 2001) may be considered the starting point of the research on genes, their function, their interaction with the environment.

 

The general involvement of the society has many facets. Let’s consider two main points:

· On one hand, there is a strong need to anticipate the ethical, legal and social implications raised by research in genetics and applications. In the latest decades main genetics research projects have significantly considered legal and ethical implications of genetics as a prior task. Such implications have been considered while research and social and medical applications were going on. Doing so, legal and social problems related to genetics can be prevented or faced at their first appearance;

· On the other hand, it should be considered that in the field of genetics, legal rules, even when existing, are not well known and enforced. The courts are often called for acting as a pioneer in shaping new concepts and legal rules. As a matter of fact judge-made-law has a prominent role even in civil law countries, as most European countries are, and affects scientific research and applications.

 

In the next decades a closer interaction between scientists and judges/jurists is, at the same time, a strict necessity and a difficult task.

We have to encourage the new awareness that has developed among judges about the international aspects and implications of their activity. The judges have different powers according to the regulations of individual states. However, when they have to tackle the question of scientific applications in the biological field they discover that state legislation does not provide adequate solutions in all cases and that it is often necessary to make recourse to law sources which transcend their respective legislatures. Furthermore, in Europe, the necessity to boost the judiciary interaction is increased by the developments of the EU and its enlargement to many countries of the Eastern.

Scientists and judges from European countries should have more opportunities to meet each other.

 

The European Network for Life Sciences, Health and the Courts – ENLSC (provisional headquarters: University of Pavia, I) has the aim to improve both judicial training on scientific issues and the dialogue between science and law.

Draft Program

6th September Afternoon: Arrival

 

7th September

9.00 a.m. (venue: Aula Spallanzani)

Opening addresses

 

10.00 a.m. Opening lectures

First lecture: Life sciences and the Law

Second lecture: Biological Sciences to-day

 

Discussion

 

3.00 p.m Afternoon

Hands-on-Lab (A) (venue: Laboratorio di Biologia dello Sviluppo)

 

9.00 p.m. Evening (venue: Collegio Ghislieri)

Conference

 

8th September

9.00 a.m.

Legal Lab (A) (two cases are presented and discussed) (venue: Aula Spallanzani)

 

3.00 p.m

Hands-on-Lab (B) (venue: Laboratorio di Biologia dello Sviluppo)

 

9.00 p.m. Evening

Conference

 

9th September

Morning

Legal Lab (B) (two cases are presented and discussed)

 

3.00 p.m Afternoon

Hands-on-Lab (C)

From crime scene into the lab (a practical demonstration) (venue: Aula Spallanzani)

 

Evening

Social event

 

10th September

9.00 Morning

Legal lab (C) (one case)

 

Final remarks and presentation of future activities

 

Afternoon

Social event: Certosa di Pavia (Visit)

 

11th September

 

Departure