Law and Genetics

A Certificate of Participation is awarded to participants who contribute constructively to weekly discussions and exercises/learning activities for the duration of the course. This tutor-led, cohort-based online course is 7-weeks in duration and is made up of 5 teaching units. Unit 1: What is the law? Learning outcomes: - Understanding the structure of law, legal concepts and relationships. - Exploring private/public responsibility, precedents and remedies. - How all of this is relevant to the rules, regulations, conventions and other laws governing the use and application of genetic data. Unit 2: Law and technology Learning outcomes: - To review CRSPR, ”designer babies”, food crops and GMO regulation - To explore the debate around the legality or otherwise of He Jiankui’s procedure. The EU position on GMOs and the recent ruling from the Court of Justice on genetic editing v random mutagenesis. Unit 3: Law and genetic information Learning outcomes: - To explore the intersection of regulation and genetics. - To provide an understanding of the law of privacy, anonymity and medical confidentiality. - To explore types of genetic disease. - To explore genetic counselling and the law of negligence. - Prenatal scanning and course actions for “diminished “ or “wrongful” life - Individual and family interests in genetic information and third parties’ interests in genetic information. - To look at a case study on the liability of local authorities and re-adoption genetic testing. Unit 4: Genetic discrimination Learning outcomes: - To understand “prohibited grounds” of discrimination - To explore prohibition of discrimination in the provision of services, employment and insurance. - To look at attempts by countries (e.g. US and Canada) to prevent discrimination on the basis of genetic information. - GINA. Unit 5: Body parts and patents Learning outcomes: - To understand the law of body parts. - 'No property in a body or body parts: Religious origins of rule, Slaves, grave robbers and animals'. - To explore current challenges: cosmetic surgery, trade in organs, retention of gametes by fertility clinics, etc. - To look at the notion of property rights arising out of “exercise of skill” (eg dissection or preservation). - Understanding the Human Tissue Act 2004. - Understanding Patent law. - Origin, “inventive step”, CRSPR litigation.