Buying Life: Law and the Human Body Seminar

Credits: 2.00
Faculty: Debra Silber

This seminar examines and analyzes the legal regulation of people as medical research subjects and the donation and sale of human material, at both the state and federal levels, as well as voluntary compliance agreements, such as that of the American Association of Tissue Banks. Students will evaluate the existing statutes or absence of any laws in several jurisdictions and review some of the related litigation. Topics will include surrogacy, sperm and egg banks, DNA, blood, eyes and organs. Concerns from the participant's perspective as well as the medical provider's will be considered. Rights of family members and the participant's estate will be discussed. Materials include court decisions from many jurisdictions, as well as legislative enactments and related legislative history, law review articles and other literature.

Grading and Method of Evaluation

Letter grade with pass/fail option. Students are expected to prepare a paper on an approved topic of their choice and do a short (10 minutes) presentation of it for the class. This paper will satisfy the Upperclass Writing Requirement.