CHB4204

Legal issues in bioethics

Justin Oakley, Bernadette McSherry (on campus); John McKie (distance education)

12 points -2 hours per week (on-campus students) -Second semester -Clayton -Distance education students can take this subject in either semester -Prerequisite: CHB4101 and CHB4203, or equivalent

Objectives When successfully completed, students should have acquired the skills to uncover the political values underlying views about State regulation of various reproductive and health care practices, think critically about those political values, and understand some of the practical problems in State regulation of various reproductive and health care practices.

Synopsis This subject provides a framework for understanding the role and impact of law in areas of concern in bioethics, and considers how ethical and social debate can affect the process of law reform. This is done by focusing initially on views about what values the state ought to be committed to, the justifiable limits of legislative intervention, and approaches to the formulation of public policy in a democratic pluralist society. This will be followed by an examination of the current law and legal approach (particularly in Australia) to areas of bioethical concern, such as abortion, prenatal diagnosis, IVF, embryo experimentation, informed consent, confidentiality, and euthanasia. The process of legal change and development and its relationship to scientific advances and ethical debate will also be discussed.

Assessment Essay (2000 words): 20% -Essay (3000 words): 30% -Take-home exam (4000 words): 50% -Distance education students are also required to keep a journal, recording their work for each topic.

Prescribed texts

A book of readings will be provided by the centre.

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