The Limitation of Using Technology to Modify Human Being: A Study of Genetic Intervention

• Main Authors: Hsin-Ning Lo, 羅欣寧
• Other Authors: Wenmay Rei
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2003
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/90916769481665595691

碩士 === 中原大學 === 財經法律研究所 === 91 === Abstract The development of biotechnology catches everyone's eyes recently. Scientists have been able to design the characteristics of animals and plants that people needed. Further more, they are trying to change the phenotypes of human beings by genetic intervention, which is on the stage of research. Some anticipate that people will be able to "order" their children whose features are better than parents. As regard to the possible effects of modifying human physiological characteristics and the influence of viewpoints of value, we should halt temporarily for thinking about some questions: Should we permit the advance of genetic intervention in human society? Would it make the conflicts of ethical values, such as changing human nature, amplifying the inequality between people, or affecting the human diversity? What is the limitation of modifying human being which would be permitted ethically? How should we build regulatory system under the demand of ethics? The research material of this thesis is the status quo of the scientific research and regulations about genetic intervention in R.O.C., United States, and Europe. First of all, the study summarizes the present state of genetic intervention, then discusses some ethical issues of human genetic intervention, and then investigates the present regulatory system about genetic intervention, then analyzes the related regulations about genetic intervention and tries to make some suggestions finally. In conclusion, the position of the thesis is approval of human genetic intervention with some limits: under strict risk-benefic assessment, human genetic intervention will not destroy the human nature, not affect human diversity, not promote the goal of eugenics, and the receptors of genetic intervention must be aware of the risk of this technology, then we could allow people to use this technology. The receptors of genetic intervention would be adults, minors, or embryos. They must receive genetic intervention at his/her will in principle. The parents have authority to make decision for their children about receiving genetic intervention based on parental rights according to the best interest of their children. For avoiding the trouble of eugenics, we should abandon the genetic intervention of germ-line in embryo rigorously. The government should pay attention to the qualification of receptors and risk control when designing the regulation of genetic intervention management. If the risk of genetic intervention is above the degree that human could bear, we should suspend or prohibit the use of genetic interven-tion. The welfare that the government could offer couldn't satisfy everyone's need of genetic intervention because of the limit of medical resources. For the sake of maintain-ing the normal function of human, the government may provide the genetic intervention of increasing human ability and preventing diseases in social health care. The prefect execution project and the integrated relief system is both needed for genetic intervention. Besides the damage compensation of torts, drug relief application would be considered to be included in the compensation system of human genetic intervention.