Diritto Pubblico Comparato ed Europeo

Sommario

1. Introduzione: i principi fondamentali applicabili in materia biomedica. – 2. Il principio di dignità umana. – 2.1. Il principio di dignità, principio matrice. – 2.2. Il principio di dignità, principio inderogabile. – 2.3. La dignità, diritto oggettivo. – 3. Il principio di libertà. – 4. La disciplina giuridica di alcune pratiche: eugenetica e diritto. – 4.1. La selezione genetica degli esseri umani. – 5. Le ricerche sugli embrioni. – 5.1. L’utilizzo di embrioni umani a fini di ricerca. – 5.2. La questione della clonazione terapeutica. – 6. La fine della vita. – 6.1. La sospensione delle cure. – 6.2. Il rifiuto delle cure. – 6.3. La sedazione che può provocare la morte. – 6.4. La questione dell’eutanasia attiva. – 7. Conclusioni.

Abstract

This essay portrays an overview on French legislation concerning bioethical issues. The author starts his paper defining the values and the rules in force in France, to go on focusing over the actual regulation of the subject. The fundamental principle of human dignity is analysed in its different inflections and, together with the right to be free, it is identified as the benchmark for the processing of functional regulation. A special focus is given to the analysis of the relation connecting law and eugenics and to the need of regulating the genetic choice of human beings. All aspects relative to scientific research that are connected to bioethics and have influence on the legal system are also analyzed. The author argues that the approaches to bioethical issues enforced so far have not succeeded in solving controversial positions which are mainly based on ideological positions and he points out the constant struggle existing between scientific progress and the role of the constitutional system to protect fundamental rights. The solution proposed foresees a general reassessment of the conception of human rights in a future perspective.