New genetics: Ethical, legal, and social implications of the Taiwan Eugenics Health Law

With the completion of the Human Genome Project, advanced genomic technologies may create more ethical, legal, and social concerns in the area of reproductive health. The Western society has a long history of studying reproductive health-related genomic issues and has proposed several recommendations. Yet, these suggestions may not be feasible in the Eastern society due to cultural, historical, and philosophical differences. For example, while eugenics is a forbidden term in Western countries, several Asian countries still adopt this word. Given that genomic innovations may have profound impacts on both Western and Eastern societies, it is imperative to understand eugenic concepts in Asian societies and its impacts on reproductive health as the initial step. Such understanding will initiate dialogs between scientists in dissimilar paradigms and facilitate future collaborations to promote reproductive health and social justice. Specifically, this presentation will explore: 1) the historical, legislative, and social backgrounds of the Taiwan Eugenics Health Law, 2) the ethical, legal, and social concerns of this law (e.g., reproductive freedom, genetic discrimination, abortion, and disability rights), and 3) the related medical practice in Taiwan. Recommendations and suggestions for this law will also be discussed.