[GA - Passed] Repeal: “Protection Of Biomedical Research” [Complete]

TlomzKrano

TlomzKrano

Just a blob chasing cars
-
-
-
TNP Nation
Kranostav
Discord
Tlomz

ga.jpg

Repeal: Protection Of Biomedical Research
Category: Repeal | GA #420
Proposed by: Auralia | Onsite Topic​

Affirming in principle the importance of biomedical research in improving quality of life in all World Assembly member states,

Simultaneously insisting on the necessity of appropriate bioethical regulation in order to protect the fundamental rights of individuals and other legitimate public interests,

Condemning the target resolution GAR #420, "Protection of Biomedical Research", a resolution that primarily serves to frustrate the responsible regulation of biomedical research by member states,

Noting that the target resolution bars member states from engaging in any regulation of biomedical research except for "scientific standards" and "ethics standards and regulations [that] serve specifically to minimize or eliminate harm to life provably sentient or sapient at the time of research",

Emphasizing the critical importance of numerous ethical regulations that are relevant in the context of biomedical research and in service of legitimate public interests, even though they cannot be established as preventing direct harm to particular sapient or sentient life,

Appalled that this absurdly broad restriction prohibits (or at least would prohibit, should prior legislation be repealed) member states from, among other things:
- securing legal protection from harmful medical experimentation to the historically vulnerable class of persons who, while not "provably sentient or sapient at the time of research" may indeed regain such capacity, such as individuals in comas or persistent vegetative states,
- granting precautionary legal protection from potentially harmful medical experimentation to potentially sentient or sapient life that has not yet been definitively "proven" to be such, perhaps due to difficulties in communication,
- requiring appropriate reverence for the remains of deceased sapient life in the course of biomedical research,
- mandating that biomedical researchers abide by reasonable financial disclosure and conflict of interest rules, and
- providing adequate legal protection for the environment in the context of biomedical research, at least with respect to non-sapient animal, plant, bacterial, and fungal life such as coral reefs and old-growth forests,

Understanding that significant portions of the remainder of the target resolution are largely redundant in light of GAR #111, "Medical Research Ethics Act" and GAR #219, "Biomedical Innovation Org", for the following reasons:
- the target resolution requires the Biomedical Innovation Organization (BIO) to coordinate "international efforts at biomedical research", despite the fact that GAR #219 already requires the BIO to coordinate "research on treatments involving biomedical tissues conducted within WA member nations",
- the target resolution mandates the BIO with developing minimum scientific and ethical standards for biomedical research and serving as an advisory body for biomedical ethics organizations and regulatory bodies, even though GAR #111 already establishes and regulates bodies required for upholding medical research ethics in member states, and
- the target resolution establishes an "internationally-accessible database of ongoing biomedical research within Member-States", even though GAR #219 already requires the BIO to include "research data for biomedical innovations as a part of the Database Of Clinical Treatments Under Study",

Seeking to remove harmful and redundant legislation from the pages of international law,

The General Assembly,

Repeals GAR #420, "Protection of Biomedical Research".
Click to expand...
Voting Instructions:
  • Vote For if you want the Delegate to vote For the resolution.
  • Vote Against if you want the Delegate to vote Against the resolution.
  • Vote Abstain if you want the Delegate to abstain from voting on this resolution.
  • Vote Present if you are personally abstaining from this vote.

Detailed opinions with your vote are appreciated and encouraged!

[wavote=the_north_pacific,ga]2018_02_23_repeal_protection_of_biomedical_research[/wavote]
[wavote=world,ga]2018_02_23_repeal_protection_of_biomedical_research[/wavote]
 
In regards to the various arguments made by the proposer, we believe that the author has misrepresented what the target resolution actually does. Specifically, it does not require that ethical requirements prevent "direct harm to particular sapient or sentient life". Indirect harm to sapient or sentient life, such as environmental impact, can be regulated under this resolution. Furthermore, as individuals in comas or persistent vegetative states are sapient (though not sentient), harm to them would be preventable under the terms of the target resolution. Continuing, the repeal of this resolution would open a path for future legislation to block biomedical research in the name of religious and moral objections. Ultimately the issues raised within this repeal are not sufficiently concerning and the repeal of such a resolution could harm the security of research by those who with to overreach in the name of ethics and morals.

In accordance with the reasons stated above, the Ministry of World Assembly Affairs recommends a vote AGAINST this proposal.
 
I see a backdoor to shutting down embryonic stem cell research with a future resolution if this passes.

Against
 
Reasons: In regards to the various arguments made by the proposer, I believe that the author has misrepresented what the target resolution actually does. Specifically, it does not require that ethical requirements prevent "direct harm to particular sapient or sentient life". Indirect harm to sapient or sentient life, such as environmental impact, can be regulated under this resolution. Furthermore, as individuals in comas or persistent vegetative states are sapient (though not sentient), harm to them would be preventable under the terms of the target resolution. Continuing, the repeal of this resolution would open a path for future legislation to block biomedical research in the name of religious and moral objections. Ultimately the issues raised within this repeal are not sufficiently concerning and the repeal of such a resolution could harm the security of research by those who with to overreach in the name of ethics and morals.
 
TlomzKrano:
In regards to the various arguments made by the proposer, we believe that the author has misrepresented what the target resolution actually does.
Click to expand...
The repeal was challenged as violating the Honest Mistake rule and found to be legal by a unanimous decision of GenSec. Therefore, at the very least, the repeal's interpretation of the original resolution is a reasonable one.

TlomzKrano:
Specifically, it does not require that ethical requirements prevent "direct harm to particular sapient or sentient life". Indirect harm to sapient or sentient life, such as environmental impact, can be regulated under this resolution.
Click to expand...
Only by eviscerating the resolution's primary mandate and rendering it meaningless, as I explained in the legality challenge.

TlomzKrano:
Furthermore, as individuals in comas or persistent vegetative states are sapient (though not sentient), harm to them would be preventable under the terms of the target resolution.
Click to expand...
Sentience is a prerequisite for sapience. A being cannot be sapient but not sentient. With that said, a being might be a member of a sapient species, and therefore have the inherent capacity for sapience and sentience despite being neither at a particular moment. Presumably that is what you have in mind here. That, however, is not the condition used by the original resolution.

TlomzKrano:
Continuing, the repeal of this resolution would open a path for future legislation to block biomedical research in the name of religious and moral objections.
Click to expand...
This repeal would not prevent better legislation on biomedical research that protects a general right to engage in such research while permitting reasonable bioethical regulation.
 
Sil Dorsett:
I see a backdoor to shutting down embryonic stem cell research with a future resolution if this passes.
Click to expand...
For reference, the original resolution was proposed to stop a blocker on embryonic stem cell research. All pro-life nations want is the right to prohibit embryonic stem cell research within their own borders.
 
For

The IFV seems to ignore the second part of the repeal, which outlines the unmistakeable duplication of duties from previous resolutions in the current proposal.

Even if one disagreed with the first part of the repeal (Which I do in some parts), this should be repealed on those grounds; setting up yet another subcommittee and database is clear a waste of WA money which nations here seem to care so much about in other debates, and the extra hoops of ethical review researchers have to go through ironically may end up hindering research. (Why should a distant WA committee determine blanket ethical standards, rather than a IRB directly reviewing the research?)

I feel that people here aren't voting for the text of the resolution, but for the personalities behind each side. Protection of Biomedical Research has some has serious flaws which should of been fixed in its drafting stage. I would strongly support a repeal and replace with a similar premise of GA#420, but I cannot support that resolution in its form. I urge you all to consider this option instead.
 
There is definitely something weird or fishy with how this is worded, and I can't even consider voting for this.
the line that strikes out to me "Simultaneously insisting on the necessity of appropriate bioethical regulation in order to protect the fundamental rights of individuals and other legitimate public interests" which CAN be used to get rid of something some group finds immoral, like stem cell research, gene therapies, and other medical advancements that have the ability to help a vast amount of people.

That said, Obrania is voting Against.
 
It would be greatly appreciated if your Ministry of World Assembly Affairs would abstain from spamming my inbox with false telegrams. The General Assembly Secretariat unanimously ruled that this repeal proposal reasonably interprets the target resolution.
 
Voting on this resolution has ended.

Thanks to those nations who cast their votes. Your participation is a great help to the region.

This topic has been locked and sent to the Archives for safekeeping. If you would like this topic to be re-opened for further discussion, please contact the WA Delegate, a Global Moderator, or an Administrator for assistance. Thank you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top