The Council of Europe Steering Committee for Human Rights in the fields of Biomedicine and Health (CDBIO) has published a report regarding the public dialogue on genomic medicine – marking the date of the 70th anniversary of the discovery of the DNA double helix.
The report reflects the main findings, positions and conclusions of a workshop organised on this theme in November 2022, and makes several recommendations, including:
- preparation of a practical guide on successful dialogue at local, national or regional level to support policy makers, funders and professionals who are implementing genomics in research or healthcare.
- further work on genomic medicine reflects the principles of non-discrimination, especially of certain groups or individuals with an inherited genetic predisposition. Considering that genomic medicine may impact on insurance and employment, there is an opportunity to reinforce the principles of Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers to the member states on the processing of personal health-related data for insurance purposes, including data resulting from genetic tests. This includes the importance of ‘collective consultation’ between all parties to increase confidence and transparency.
The report was prepared by Mark Bale (CDBIO member, United Kingdom) in the context of the Strategic Action Plan on Human Rights and Technologies in Biomedicine (2020-2025).
The full report can be read at https://rm.coe.int/cdbio-2023-1-rapporteur-report-on-public-dialogue-genomic-medicine-e/1680aae608
Read more about the CDBIO at https://www.coe.int/en/web/bioethics/cdbio