Central Issues in Biotechnology and Ethics in the 21th Century

Transcription

1 Central Issues in Biotechnology and Ethics in the 21th Century Professor Dr. Herbert Gottweis Life Science Governance Research Platform/ Department of Political Science University of Vienna Presentation at the Seminar Series, UNITED NATIONS UNIVERSITY INISTITUTE OF ADVANCED STUDIES (UNU-IAS) SEMINAR SERIES, April 22, 2010

2 June 26, 2000, at a White House Ceremony President William J. Clinton Francis Collin (NIH) Craig Venter (Celera Genomics) humanity has discovered nothing less than the language of God

3 Revolution in Biological Research Francis S. Collins, Eric D. Green, Alan E. Guttmacher & Mark S. Guyer: A vision for the future of genomics research. in: Nature 422, (24 April 2003).

4 Genomic Revolution in Life Science hopes and expectations fears, anxiety and doubts public call for politicalregulatory action Govening Biotechnology the 21st century has become a daunting challenge that takes place in an increasingly complex political topography.

5 Genetic Engineering Controversies political discourses on genetic engeneering focused on the risks associated with genetic engeneering and the various strategies to control risk Central idea was to combat the lack of knowledge and potential hazards for humans and environments with expertise.

6 Example I NIH Director's Advisory Committee (DAC), December 1977 (DNA Molecule Advisory Committee, later shortened to RAC, Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee)

7 Example II NIH Guidelines in the 1970s

8 Risk is a way of ordering reality, of rendering it into a calculable form comes into existence through complex and multiple processes of inscription, interpretation, and boundary work carried out by a variety of actors is a strategy of making events and situations governable introduces a calculative rationality for governing the conduct of individuals, populations, and collectivities Risk facilitated rather than inhibited the spread of genetic engineering technologies.

9 Genetic Engeneering and Risk Expert driven system that claimed to assure the safe utilization of genetic technologies risk can be controlled by containing the newly created, genetically modified organisms containment can be accomplished by erecting biological and physical barriers system of types of risks and containment was developed If the right biological and physical safety measures were adopted, genetic engineering was a safe technology.

10 From Risk to Uncertainty ethical ambivalence and moral dilemmas strong emphasis on the difficulties and the limits to know as compared with the possitilities to know Today, many of the scientific and technological advances not only seem to offer solutions and answers to the problems of modern society, but pose a multitude of questions for which there seems to be no answer readily available.

11 F. Ewald: Program of Security focus on risk in socio-political practices as a phenomenon of the 20th century Risk Rational Decision Prevention Compensation

12 Three Types of Uncertainty political scientific social Constellation of Uncertainty situation of undecidability lack of criteria to arrive at decisions

13 Uncertainty just as discourses of risk provided the cultural background for regulatory action, discourses of uncertainty can serve purposes of political decision-making uncertainty can be understood as a creative way to deal with the absence of agreement and to marginalize or subordinate statistical and expert models of risk management

14 The Landscape of Uncertainty Pentagon Non-Risk Politics of Emotion Precautonary Principle Consensus- Conferences Ethos-Politics

15 rise of vocabulary that emphasizes emotional as well as ethical/moral images policies are justified as crucial strategies in the service of the survival of certain groups of individuals suffering under a particular disease, or as being the result of the guidance of ethical principles and reflection political-regulatory decision-making is defined as demanding caution, deliberation and credibility, steps that should only happen under the guidance of trustworthy people and institutions that command respect and authority

16 Emergence of a New Genre of Discourse technologies of risk technologies of uncertainty technologies of expertise proof technologies of conversation and confession credibility and trustworthiness

17 Human Embryonic Stem Cell (hesc) research Challenges for Ethics and Policy Fundamental scientific, legal, social and ethical uncertainties put pressure on policy making hesc research today constitutes a highly regulated and politicized field of biomedical research Characterized by highly globalized policy and research networks

18 World Stem Cell Policy (2008) Permissive Policy: Allows various laboratory techniques to Create embrionyc stemm cell lines Including nuclear transfer/ research cloning and the extraction Of srem cells from embryos that remain unused after in vitro fertilization treatment (IVF) Flexible Policy: Allows the creation Of stemm cell lines from embryos that Remain unused after after in vitro fertilization treatment (IVF). Does not allow nuclear transfer/research cloning Restrictive Policy or No Established Policy Genome Seauencing Research Centres California supports embrioníc stem cell research through Proposition 71

19 Current Topography of Stem Cell Trials All adult stem cell trials run currently [Database Clinicaltrials.gov] Over 3500 registered clinical trials with cell therapy -products worldwide. Source: BIONEST (2007): Cell therapies and tissue engineering Attractiveness and competitive position for France. Retrieved from on March 2, 2009.

20 Governing Regenerative Medicine low high hesc (Adult) Stem Cell Therapies Gene Transfer Therapies ips sirna low high

21 Year 2003 Nanotechnology Politicised Demands for innovation, investment, funding Actors Dep. for Trade and Industry, House of Commons Science & Technology Committee, Foresight Panel, Scientists, National Physical Laboratory, Institute of Nanotechnology Demands for the control of technological development, concerns about human enhancement, surveillance, negative effects on environment Actors Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, Prince Charles, Bill Joy

22 Government Technologies Discourses of Risk and Uncertainty RISK Strategies Legislation, Regulation Institutions Regulatory Bodies, Parliament NON-RISK Legislation, Bans Parliament PRECAUTION DELIBERATIVE DEMOCRACY EMOTIONS- COMPASSION ETHICS-TRUST- LEADERSHIP Legislation, Regulation Negotiation, Mediation Emotional Display, Information Campaign, Public Relations Public Debate, Politics of Trust Parliament, Govern. Agencies, Int.gov. Bodies Consensus Conference, Citizen Panels Parliament, P.R. (Bio)ethics Committees, Counseling

23 Policies Challenges Ethics Fields Dynamics Internal Nature (Body) Research, Health, Criminal, Medicine Non-Discrimination, Budget, Prevention Medical Ethics, Bioethics, Informed Consent, Privacy, Autonomy, Benefit Sharing Biotechnology, Stem Cell Science, Regenerative Medicine, Neuroscience Biosociality, Patient Movements, New Conflict Patterns, Web 2.0 External Nature (Environment) Environment, Energy, Research, Food Environmental Crisis, Habitat, Food Environmental Ethics, Global Justice, Protection of Environment, Habitat, Agricultural Biotech, Nanotechnology, Classical Critics- Supporters Patterns, Web 2.0.

24 Conclusions/Summary Biotechnology development a process with enormous dynamics and constant change of constellations Patterns of controversy and concern in flux New emerging patterns of controversy Ethics discourse as central factor Bio-economy as central driving form for economic/industrial development Web 2.0. introduces new dynamics of state-society interactions New anarchy : Consumer genetics (personal genomics) Dissociation state/territory From ethics of principles towards empircial ethics?