Chimaera research – ethical and legal aspects

Date: 11/05/2008, 09:00-21:30h

Location:
Parliamentary Hall
Christiansborg

Speaker: Elisabeth Rynning (professor of law, department of law, Uppsala University) *** Göran Hermerén (professor of medical ethics, University of Lund, president of the European Group on Ethics) *** Jens Zimmer Rasmussen (professor, Institute of Medical Biology, University of Southern Denmark) *** Klavs Birkholm (member of the working group on chimera research) *** Klemens Kappel (Associate professor, Institute of Media, Communication and Cognition, University of Copenhagen. Member of the working group on chimera research) *** Lene Hansen (Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on the Council of Ethics) *** Mette Hartlev (professor of law, department of law, University of Copenhagen) *** Niels Lynře (professor at Centrum för bioetik, Karolinska institutet and chairman of the Nordic Committee on Bioethics) *** Nik Brown (Senior Lecturer, Department of Sociology, University of York, UK) *** Ole Hartling (consultant, former Chairman of the Danish Council of Ethics and member of the working group on chimera research) *** Peder Agger (chairman of the Danish Council of Ethics) *** Peter Kragh (postdoc, Institute of Human Genetics, University of Aarhus) *** Peter Sandře (professor of bioethics, University of Copenhagen, chairman of the Danish Ethical Council for Animals and of the working group on chimera research) *** Thomas G. Jensen (professor, Institute of Human Genetics, University of Aarhus. Member of the Danish Council of Ethics and The Nordic Committee on Bioethics) *** Vilhjálmur Árnason (professor at the Dep of Philosophy and Centre for Bioethics , University of Iceland and member of the Nordic Committee on Bioethics)

Further information: http://www.etiskraad.dk/sw18842.asp

Description: The parliamentary committees have requested the conference by way of follow-up to the report from the Council of Ethics and the Ethical Council for Animals: Man or Mouse? Ethical Aspects of Chimaera Research. In it, the ground is prepared for a debate on adjusting the legislation so as to take into account the latest research into chimaeras and hybrids—crossbreeds of animals and humans. In recent decades researchers have developed chimaeras by moving cells—and entire organs—from one individual to another, particularly in connection with stem cell research. In some cases this involves mixing cells from animals and humans. With the creation of human-animal crossbreeds, research is compelling us to question one of the conditions in life that we have thus far taken for granted. In our culture and legislation we see animals and people as two clearly distinct categories. People are largely protected by the law, while animals can be involved in risky medical experiments, killed, kept as pets or husbandry and eaten. However, the majority of the members on the two councils do not think that all experiments to create crossbreeds should be banned. But clear lines do need to be drawn in the sand. The councils consider that the new research should give rise to a thorough review of current legislation on the basis of the ethical guidelines discussed in the report. Among other things, more detailed criteria should be provided as to what it means for an individual to be human. The conference will discuss what types of research are potentially capable of altering identity-forming organs and thus becoming an ethical problem, as well as how to modify the legislation to avoid such problematic experimentation.

Contact:
The Danish Council of Ethics
Ravnsborggade 2-4
2200 Copenhagen
Denmark
Phone: +45 - 35 - 37 58 33
Fax: +45 - 35 - 37 57 55
info@etiskraad.dk
http://www.etiskraad.dk/

Organizer: Organized by the Danish Council of Ethics, the Danish Ethical Council for Animals and the Nordic Committee on Bioethics for the Parliamentary Committee on the Council of Ethics; and the Health Committee

Keywords: research ethics; research law; genetic tests/counselling; genetic research/technology; genome analysis; animal ethics