<i>Recent situation about preimplantation genetic diagnosis in </i><i>Germany, Austria, and Switzerland </i>

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  • 着床前診断の法規制をめぐる ドイツ・オーストリア・スイスの近時の動向
  • チャクショウ ゼン シンダン ノ ホウキセイ オ メグル ドイツ ・ オーストリア ・ スイス ノ キンジ ノ ドウコウ

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<p>     Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) has largely been prohibited by law in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. In recent years, however, these three countries have revised their laws in succession to allow restricted access to preimplantation genetic screening. This paper provides a view of new PGD laws in these countries and discusses the similarities and differences among them, with an eye toward future development of legislation on PGD in Japan. <BR>    The laws of the three countries have five major characteristics in common. First, all allow clinical application of PGD only under certain conditions, and violators can be punished by the authorities. Second, it is prohibited to use PGD for the purpose of selecting the gender of children or creating a savior sibling, both of which are irrelevant to detection of specific genetic abnormalities. Third, only authorized medical institutions are allowed to use PGD for treatment of patients to ensure the quality of the screening. Fourth, such authorized medical institutions are obliged to keep records of their application of PGD. Lastly, genetic testing must be done only after providing pre-PGD counseling for patients and obtaining written informed consent. <BR>    One of the major differences is that physicians in Germany and Austria may not be compelled to use or become involved in PGD and, regardless of whether they choose to use PGD, they are protected against negative treatment by an employer. There are no such stipulations in Switzerland. Another clear difference is that ethical committee consent is required for every PGD application in Germany, but not in Austria and Switzerland. <BR>    A comparative study of PGD in terms of legislation, including official records of discussions during development of the legal process, in Germany, Austria and Switzerland can serve as a useful reference for this process in Japan. It is also important to continue to watch how PGD is applied under the legal systems of the three countries.</p>

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  • Bioethics

    Bioethics 27 (1), 96-104, 2017

    Japan Association for Bioethics

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