Article Text

other Versions

Download PDFPDF
Is the commercialisation of human tissue and body material forbidden in the countries of the European Union?
  1. Christian Lenk,
  2. Katharina Beier
  1. Department for Medical Ethics and History of Medicine, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
  1. Correspondence to Dr Katharina Beier, Department for Medical Ethics and History of Medicine, University Medical Center Göttingen, Humboldtallee 36, Göttingen 37073, Germany; kbeier{at}gwdg.de

Abstract

The human body and its parts are widely perceived as matters beyond commercial usage. This belief is codified in several national and European documents. This so-called ‘no-property rule’ is held to be the default position across the countries of the European Union. However, a closer look at the most pertinent national and European documents, and also current practices in the field, reveals a gradual model of commercialisation of human tissue. In particular, we will argue that the ban on commercialisation of body material is not as strict as it may appear at first sight, leaving room for the commercial practice of tissue procurement and transfer. We argue for more transparent information for patients and tissue donors, an intensified ethical debate on commercialisation practices, and a critical review of current normative principles.

  • Commercialisation
  • human tissue
  • property
  • ownership
  • European regulation
  • social control of science/technology
  • informed consent
  • policy guidelines/inst. review boards/review committees
  • donation/procurement of organs/tissues

Statistics from Altmetric.com

Request Permissions

If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.

Footnotes

  • Funding Tiss.EU project funded within the 7th Framework Program of the European Union (http://www.tisseu.org).

  • Competing interests None.

  • Provenance and peer review Commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

Linked Articles