15 Morningside Road, Edinburgh EH10 4DP, Tel: 0131 447 6394 or 0774 298 4459
Zagreb - 12-14 June 2003
Organisers: UNESCO + Croatian Commission for UNESCO in co-operation with the Department of Medical Sciences of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts
SCHB participant: Dr. Calum MacKellar, who gave a presentation entitled "Human Behaviour and Genetic Discrimination", and chaired the first session.
Session 1, Chaired by Dr Calum MacKellar:
An Analysis of the Implementation of the Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights - results of a Survey - Mashall Conley, UNESCO
The Human Genome and the Concept of Common Heritage - Christian Byk (France)
Human Postgenomics: Promoting Rights and the Common Good - Andrea Vicini (Italy)
International Law on Human Rights as a Legal Framework for the Protection of Human Genome and the Prohibition of Human Cloning - Dubravka Simonovi (Croatia)
Dignity of the Individual and Dignity of the Human Species in the UNESCO Declaration on the Human Genome - Roberto Andorno (Germany)
The Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights - Some Ethical Considerations - Stanka Hristova (Bulgaria)
Session 2, Chaired by Stanka Hristova:
What are the Main Obstacles in Promotion of Human Rights in Post-Communist Countries? - Jiri Simek, Vladimir Spalek (Czech Republic)
Human Rights and Human Genome in Croatia - Nenad Hlaca (Croatia)
Georgian Legislation on Human Rights and Human Genetics: Steps Towards Harmonization with International Standards - Tamar Kurtanidze, Givi Javashvili (Georgia)
Implementation of Patients' Rights in Health Care: The Case of Lithuania - Eimantas Peicius (Lithuania)
Human Genome and Ethics: A Perspective from Turkey - Sefik Gorkey (Turkey)
Session 3, Chaired by Biserka Belicza:
Human Behaviour and Genetic Discrimination - Calum MacKellar (United Kingdom)
Thinking of Human Germ Line Modification - Miroslav Radman (France)
Human Stem Cells - Bioethical Value Conflicts - Marja Sorsa (Finland)
Christine Mannhalter (Austria): Collection, Treatment, Storage and Use of Genetic Data
Human Genome and Human Rights - Clinical Geneticist's Point of View - Nina Canki-Klain (Croatia)
Clinical Practice Guidelines - Ethical Aspects - Boris Labar et all (Croatia)
Session 4, Chaired by Nenad Hlaca:
Global Bioethics and Children's Rights - Ljiljana Zergollern-upak (Croatia)
What Human Genome Research cannot fix? - Zbigniew Szawarski (Poland)
Patient-Doctor-Society: Collision of Interests or Coincidence? - Ramaz Shengelia (Georgia)
The makings of a Declaration: Dubrovnik and Skopje revisited - Levett Jeffrey (Greece)
Session 5, Chaired by Nina Canki Klain:
Principle of Confidentiality of the Universal Declaration the Human Genome and Human Rights in Reference to the Medico-Legal DNA Identification - Cipi Bardhyl (Albania)
DNA Database for Offender Identification: Scientific, Ethical, Social and Regulatory Issues - Dragan Primorac (Croatia)
Genetic Data as a Tool to find Missing People - Gordan Lauc (Croatia)
Genetic Study of Nuclear and Mitochondrial Polymorphisms in Isolated Human Populations in Bosnia and Herzegovina - Kasim Bajrovic (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Protecting Personal Data in Ukraine - Vitaliy Kononov, Mridula Ghosh (Ukraine)
Session 6, Chaired by Jiri Simek:
How much do the Ethical Committees in Croatia refer in their Everyday Practice to the Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights? - Ana Borovecki (Croatia)
Influence of the Human Genome Project on the People with Genetic Disease - Vida Culic, Goran Mijaljica, Bernarda Lozic (Croatia):
Protection of Mental Patients' Rights in Ukraine - Julia Pievskaya (Ukraine)
Genetic Studies in Psychiatry - Patient's Capacity for Decision-Making - Dragica Kozaric Kovacic, Maja Bajs (Croatia)
Bioethical Issues Concerning some Infection (Measles, Rubella) During the Early Pregnancy - Rodica Gramma, Dumitru Amoasii (Moldova)
Pre-operative Assessment for Anaesthesia Informed Consent - Kata ?akic Zdravcevic (Croatia)
Patients' Relations Center in the Dubrovnik General Hospital - Ljiljana Betica Radic, Josip Lopasic, Marija Radonic (Croatia)
Session 7, Chaired by Emmanuel Agius:
On some Fears and Moral Attitudes about Knowledge on and practise of Human Genetics: The Case of Cloning and Genetic Enhancement - Elvio Baccarini (Croatia)
Human Embryos and the Concept of Murder - Christopher Coope (United Kingdom)
The case of allowing Sex Selection for "Family Balance" - Jennifer Jackson (United Kingdom)
Killing and letting die - the Case of Abortion - Snje?ana Prijic-Samar?ija (Croatia)
Session 8, Chaired by Elvio Baccarini:
Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Gights: An Attempt of Religious Reading of its Fundamental Principles in the Light of Interdisciplinary Bioethical Dialogue ? A Catholic View - Tonci Matulic (Croatia)
The Moral Imperatives to Use of Embryonic Stem Gells in Therapeutic Research from Theological Perspective - Sahin Aksoy (Turkey)
Use of Human Embryonic Stem Cells in Therapeutic Cloning - Ethical Problems - Vladimir Dugalic (Croatia)
Embryonic Stem Cells and "Therapeutic Research" - Ana Volaric Mr?ic (Croatia)
Confidentiality of Genetic Data: An Intergenerational Perspective - Emmanuel Agius (Malta)
Biserka Belicza (Croatia): to be communicated later
The purpose of the Conference was to gather experts from Europe and North America Regions in order to explore and evaluate the present bioethical situation and foster international co-operation related to the following topics:
The objectives of the Conference were to explore scientific, ethical, social and regulatory issues of the implementation of the Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights, as well as, of its Guidelines:
Note:
The conference was both very interesting and challenging with a large percentage of Catholic Theologians present (reflecting the strong influence of the Catholic Church in Croatia and those of the organisers). However, other perspectives were also present which were translated into the worrying awareness that about 30% of the participants supported, for example, the possibility of using positive eugenics in order to improve the human race or to create 'better' human races. The reasons behind the prohibition of sex selection were also questioned with the conclusion that no real reasons existed as long as the children were accepted with unconditional love.
For a conference that was suppose to analyse the implementation of the Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights, some concern was expressed that many of the presentations did, in fact, somewhat undermine this Declaration.
One of the results, therefore, of this conference was the realisation that the UNESCO Declaration could be used as a safeguard and protection against some of the new unsettling proposals already being suggested by some bioethicists.