University of Technology Sydney

78105 Genetics and the Law

6cp
Requisite(s): ( 70311 Torts OR (70106c Principles of Public International Law AND 70107c Principles of Company Law AND (94 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C04236 Juris Doctor OR 142 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C04250 Juris Doctor Master of Business Administration OR 94 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C04363 Juris Doctor Master of Intellectual Property OR 94 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C04364 Juris Doctor Graduate Certificate Trade Mark Law and Practice)) OR (94 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C04320 Juris Doctor Graduate Certificate Professional Legal Practice AND 70106 Principles of Public International Law) OR (70108c Public International Law AND 70417c Corporate Law))
The lower case 'c' after the subject code indicates that the subject is a corequisite. See definitions for details.
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Anti-requisite(s): 78104 Genetics and the Law

Description

This subject examines the scope and limitations of existing regulation of genetic technologies with respect to humans. It also considers recent scientific and technological innovations in the area of human genetics and the role and effectiveness of law in managing these new developments. The role of law as a means to control both the development of new genetic technologies and the utilisation of existing technologies is also evaluated. This includes a specific focus on individual decision-making versus responsibility for genetic risk, individual versus group rights, genetic privacy, genetic discrimination, reproductive autonomy, and ownership and control of genetic information and research developments.

Specific issues covered include regulatory limits on the use of genetic screening, including of adults, children and newborns; prenatal genetic testing and genetic testing of adults and children; the regulation of genetic registers, protecting genetic information privacy and the problem of familial information; measures to control genetic discrimination in employment and insurance; the regulation of genetic research through the NHMRC guidelines and other means; regulation of genetics in medical research including gene therapy, inheritable genetic modification, stem cell research and human somatic cell nuclear transfer (cloning technologies); and the establishment of biobanks and the concept of genomic property.


Detailed subject description.

Access conditions

Note: The requisite information presented in this subject description covers only academic requisites. Full details of all enforced rules, covering both academic and admission requisites, are available at access conditions and My Student Admin.