Investigation and Research on the law and the ethics in the research on the human genome and its applications-from an international viewpoint-

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1) This research consists of the study on the various impacts on the society of the research on the human genome, "blueprint of human life", and its applications in their legal and ethical aspects and from an international viewpoint. It also offered some concrete policy proposals in Japan.2) The report examines at the beginning the whole range of issues which would arise in the human genome research and its applications, so as to clarify the current status of law and ethics in this field (Ch.1). The question concerning the rights and the duties of participants and researchers is then analyzed (Ch.2), together with the international ethical standards enshrined in the UNESCO's Human Genome Declaration of 1997 in its drafting process and its substance (Ch.3). As there exist only quite few legal regulations in the world, the state-of-art of the ethical norm-setting and the system of ethical review of research projects are exposed, with special reference to foreign countries (Ch.4). Also, the Japanese Law on the Ban of Human Reproductive Cloning is studied in comparison with the UNESCO's Human Genome Declaration, in particular on the issues of the human dignity and and the necessity of legal instruments (Ch.5). The most urgent need of the ethical guidelines comes up from the genetic testing and therapy (Ch. 6). The significance and the power of the life sciences and the works of the International Bioethics Committee ofUNESCO are presented in English (Chs.7 and 8, respectively).3) The second part is relevant documentation in this field : Japanese "Fundamental Principles on the Research on the Human Genome" and the "Ethical Guidelines on the Human Genome Research", and some other international documents.