Council of Europe: Committee on Bioethics published a study on children’s rights challenges in biomedicine
On the 4th July 2017, the Committee on Bioethics of the Council of Europe published a study on the challenges presented to children's rights in biomedicine. The study, prepared by researchers from Leiden University Law School (the Netherlands), analyses the relevance of existing international and European legal principles to address the challenges posed to the rights of the child by scientific and technological developments in biomedicine and proposes, where appropriate, possible avenues for actions.
The current study complements and relies on the previous study prepared by Uppsala University on “The Rights of Children in Biomedicine: Challenges posed by Scientific Advances and Uncertainties”. These two studies will contribute to the preparation of an international conference to mark the 20th anniversary of the Oviedo Convention on 24-25 October 2017, organised under the Czech Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers. The convention is the only binding international legal instrument on the subject of bioethics. Its aim is to protect the dignity and identity of all human beings and guarantee everyone, without discrimination, respect for their integrity and other rights and fundamental freedoms with regard to the application of biology and medicine. It is regarded as the European treaty on patients’ rights and deals specifically with biomedical research, genetics and transplantation of organs and tissues.
The two studies are also part of the activities carried out under the Council of Europe Strategy for the Rights of the Child (2016-2021).