Technology, reproductive autonomy, and its limits: South African experience
April 10th, 2025, 12h45-14h30, in person and on Zoom.
Donrich Thaldar is a full professor of law at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, where he chairs the Health Law & Ethics Research Interest Group. He is currently principal investigator of an NIH-funded project that investigates the legal aspects of data science in health innovation in Africa. Professor Thaldar also has a private law practice, where he specializes in strategic litigation in reproductive law (reprolaw). Before starting his academic career in 2017, he practiced as an advocate at the Pretoria Bar. He served as legal counsel or as amicus curiae in several landmark cases in the field of reprolaw in South Africa. Some highlights are: The first case that considered the concept ‘designer children’ (2016); the first case of posthumous conception (2018); the first case of gamete withdrawal from a comatose person (2020); and the first case about the enforceability of a sperm donor agreement (2021); and a successful legal challenge to the constitutionality of the statutory prohibition on nonmedical preimplantation sex selection (2022).
In this joint event by the Research Group on Health and Law, and the Center for Genomics and Policy, Professor Donrich Thaldar explored landmark legal battles shaping South African reproductive law, from the constitutional right to procreative freedom to the controversial requirement of a genetic link in surrogacy. He examined the recent legalisation of preimplantation sex selection, the legal status of gametes and embryos, and the growing role of genetic technologies in reproductive decision-making. With reproductive law at a global crossroads, this talk will challenge conventional assumptions and offer fresh insights into the future of reproductive autonomy.
AI and Medicine: A European and Italian Legal Perspective
February 5th, 2024, 12h45-14h30, in person and on Zoom.
Stefano Buzi is a second-year PhD candidate in ‘Rights, Person, Innovation and Market’ at the Faculty of Law, University of Brescia (Italy). He has expertise in the field of Biotechnology and the Law at the University of Brescia from 2021. This presentation addresed how the physician-patient relationship may be affected by Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems, under the scope of the European and Italian (developing) legislation.
Promoting Access to Health Using a Comparative Law Approach: The Example of the International Genetic Discrimination Observatory
January 10th, 2024, 13h00-14h30, in person and on Zoom.
Yann Joly, Ph.D. (DCL), FCAHS, Ad.E. is the Director of the Centre of Genomics and Policy (CGP) at McGill University. He is a James McGill Professor at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Human Genetics. Prof. Joly is also an associate member of the Bioethics Unit and at the Law Faculty at McGill. Drawing upon the experience of the International genetic discrimination observatory (GDO), a recognized comparative legal research network, this presentation proposed that there exists much underexploited potential to use international law and policy to stimulate legal reform at the national level. This presentation reviewed the accomplishments of the GDO, identified some of the key challenges it faced, and posited opportunities for legal comparatists to better use the power of human rights law and policy to stimulate legal reform at the national level.
Surrogacy in Canada: Exploring Experiences of Intended Parents and Surrogates
November 1st, 2023, 13h00 - 14h30
In this talk, Professor Gruben and Professor Carsley, from the University of Ottawa, presented preliminary results from two ongoing qualitative studies involving surveys and interviews with surrogates and intended parents. The first study explores intended parents’ experiences working with surrogates, lawyers, counsellors, physicians and agencies. The second study explores (1) who becomes a surrogate; (2) why and how they do it; (3) who works with surrogates; (4) surrogates' experiences prior to conception, during pregnancy and after birth; 5) whether and how Canadian surrogates may be vulnerable in these arrangements.
Aide à la decision et prévnetion du risqué suiciaire: quelles responsabilitiés juridiques?
July 26th, 2023, 12h30-14h00, in person
Laurène Mazeau, a lecturer at the University of Bretagne Occidentale since 2012. She has published extensively on matters relating to the relationship between liability law and science, including topics of decision support, operational research, and automation. Laurène Mazeau was a visiting scholar in July of 2023, and she gave a presentation as part of the RGHL’s Seminar Series. In particular, her presentation discussed the juridical responsibilities associated with the prevention of suicide.
What happens to people who self-medicate with cannabis after legalization?
March 27th, 2023, 13h00-14h30, in person
Dr. Marilou Gagnon, RN, ACRN, LLM, PhD is a Professor at the UVic School of Nursing and Scientist at the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research (CISUR). She also holds a casual position as Clinical Nurse Specialist in Urban Health at St. Paul’s Hospital where she supports in-hospital harm reduction policy, research, and practice. Her program of research seeks to address gaps in knowledge that have the potential to inform public debate and policies, while also advancing the rights and the health of people who use drugs, people living with HIV, and people experiencing homelessness. Her research explores how the Cannabis Act, as well as British Columbia’s legislative framework, impacts people who self-medicate with cannabis. In this presentation, Dr. Gagnon took a closer look at the regulation of space, smoking, access, and health in the context of legalization. The presentation concluded by raising critical questions and discussing broader implications for public health, policy, and the law.
Le corps réduit à des données? Le droit face au gouvernement numérique des corps.
February 1st, 2023, 13h00 - 14h30
Yann Favier holds a PhD in private law and is Professor of Law at the Faculty of Law, Université Savoie Mont-Blanc (Chambéry-Annecy, France). For several years now, he has been examining the status of health data as part of his exploratory research into the links between the protection of the human body and digital health data, and studying the impact of artificial intelligence technologies on human rights and medical research activities. His presentation explored the legal and ethical challenges surrounding digital health data.
Regulating Cannabis for Public Good: Is 'Public Ownership' Model the Answer
November 8th, 2022, 13h00-1430h, on Zoom
Dr. Marta Rychert is a Senior Research Officer in College of Health, Massey University, New Zealand. Her academic work lies at the intersection of public health, policy and law, with particular focus on legal aspects of regulating drugs, cannabis law reform, as well as discipline and regulation of health workforce. Her research analyses socio-legal and policy challenges in drug law reform, with a view to informing effective design of public health regulations that capture the benefits of reform while avoiding the negative effects of large-scale commercial markets. This presentation outlined a framework for understanding cannabis law reform options between decriminalisation and commercial markets, with particular focus on ‘public ownership’ models for legal cannabis sale. The benefits and costs of the ‘public ownership’ model will be presented, drawing on empirical research with key policy stakeholders involved in implementing government-run retail stores for cannabis (Société québécoise du cannabis) in Quebec (Canada), ‘community licensing trusts’ for alcohol in New Zealand and experience with cannabis social clubs in a number of countries.
