title: A map to a new treasure island: the human genome and the concept of common heritage.
abstract: While the 1970's have been called the environmental years, the 1990's could be seen as the genome years. As the challenge to map and to sequence the human genome mobilized the scientific community, risks and benefits of information and uses that would derive from this project have also raised ethical issues at the international level. The particular interest of the 1997 UNESCO Declaration relies on the fact that it emphasizes both the scientific importance of genetics and the appropriate reinforcement of human rights in this area. It considers the human genome, at least symbolically, as the common heritage of humanity.
authors.affiliation: International Association of Law, Ethics, and Science, Paris, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Byk
mesh_terms: D026683:Advisory Committees; D001675:Bioethics; D030661:Genetic Privacy; D036281:Genetic Research; D015894:Genome, Human; D006806:Human Rights; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D028681:Moral Obligations; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D009272:Persons; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012926:Social Control, Formal; D012935:Social Justice; D012941:Social Responsibility; D012945:Social Values; D014480:United Nations; D035862:Vulnerable Populations