Altruism Reconsidered

As the use of human body parts has become increasingly commercialized, a need has arisen for new approaches to regulation that move beyond the paradigm of altruism. In the course of this discussion, the notion of property has become a key concept. This volume focuses on practical and conceptual perspectives to set standards for a detailed and innovative discussion in the regulation of research on human tissue. The authors, a multidisciplinary research group combining specialists from philosophy, law, sociology, biology and medicine have come together with practicing lawyers to consider both legal provisions and patterns of regulation in countries across Europe. The authors identify divergences between the different legal traditions, and explore various conceptual models which could be used to improve and to guide policy making. With this twin focus on practical and conceptual perspectives the volume sets standards for a detailed and innovative discussion of problems in the regulation of research on human tissue.