LAW 867LEC - Law and Genetics

Recent developments in genetics are calling into question existing regulatory regimes and policy approaches dealing with intellectual property, reproduction, disability, criminal law, health care, and privacy. This course will provide a unique opportunity to identify, explore, and debate cutting-edge legal, ethical, and political issues associated with new genetic technologies. Many researchers and administrators argue that it is too soon, and potentially too dangerous, to tinker with the human genome, and with genomes of other organisms, in a way that is passed down to future generations and that permanently alters ecosystems. The course will discuss the dilemmas currently facing scientists, ethicists, and policy-makers regarding the applications and continued development of biotechnologies. In addition to reading primary and secondary sources and watching relevant media excerpts, we will host scientists and social scholars and visit genetic and bioart labs. This is an interdisciplinary course accessible to a wide range of students. There are no science or law prerequisites. Seminar credit may be available, please contact the instructor.

Credits: 3