HUGO Symposium on Genomics and Ethics, Law and Society - Sequencing of Individual Genomes: Impact on Society and Ethics

Soon an individual's genome can be sequenced at accessible cost. Like
the availability of books provided by the printing press, the ease of
communications by cell phones, and the access to information via the
internet, access to information that is broad, deep, and personally
significant changes society, its laws, and its politics. Complete
sequence information of individual genomes raises questions about
utility, identity, privacy and comprehension. The concept of open source
genetic information is a reality that will tax the legal framework just
as much as internet freedom challenges legal tenets. Direct to Consumer
genomics where a physician opinion is bypassed will become more common.

The sequencing of genomes provides the substrate for synthetic biology
in which whole organisms can be created de novo through stitching DNA
together into entire genomes. This symposium will explore the ethical,
societal, and legal issues involving the accessibility of fast,
inexpensive, and complete genomic sequencing.

International Scientific Committee

v Ala Alwan (Switzerland)

v Stylianos Antonarakis (Switzerland)

v Alastair V Campbell (Singapore)

v Ruth Chadwick (UK)

v Abdallah Daar (Canada)

v Bartha-Maria Knoppers (Canada)

v Edison Liu (Singapore)

v Alex Mauron (Switzerland)

v Thomas H Murray (USA)

v Tikki Pang (Switzerland)

v Jean-Donimique Vassalli (Switzerland)

1 Nov
Session 1 – Science & its Capabilities
Session 2 – Personal Genomics: Redefining Privacy, Choice and the Internet

2 Nov
Session 3 – Genetic Determinism, Discrimination, Exceptionalism and
Selection
Session 4 – Discussion Forum

3 Nov
Session 5 – Open Access, Open Markets: Intellectual Property?
Session 6 – Equity and Justice: Access & Participation in the Developing
World

Register before 31 July 2009 to enjoy early bird discounts!

Locations