Bioethics laws & regs

Updated: July 19, 2019

NOTE: This is a sample of laws, regs, and cases, as well as some scholarly commentary: it is not comprehensive. Also, while I will regularly update changes to laws and regs, it is likely that at any one time some of these will be out-of-date.

Genetics and stem cells (incl embryos)

• Aderholt amendment (prohibiting fed funding for genetic modification of embryos, initially a part of an agriculture appropriations bill of 2018), HR 3268 § 734
• Dickey-Wicker amendment (initially a part of Balanced Budget Downpayment Act, I, Public Law No 104-99, § 128, 110 Stat. 26, 34)
• Human Fertilisation & Embryology Act 1990 (United Kingdom; see also later amendments)
• International Stem Cell Registry | Laws and Policies
• Louisiana law on embryos, ‘juridical persons’, La. Rev. Stat. tit. 9, §§ 121, 123-131
• National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Embryonic and Fetal Tissue Research Laws (1.1.16)
• Nuffield Council on Bioethics, The regulatory and legal situation of human embryo, gamete and germ line gene editing research and clinical applications in the People’s Republic of China, May 2017
• Office of Science Policy (NIH)
  • Bioethics Research
  • Biosafety and Recombinant DNA Policy
  • Clinical Research Policy
  • Dual Use Research of Concern
  • Guidelines FAQ
  • Healthcare Research Policy
  • RAC (Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee)
• Lawsuits
  • Diamond v Chakrabarty, 447 U.S. 303 (1980)
  • York v. Jones, 717 F Supp. 421 (E.D. Va. 1989)
  • Stanford University v. Roche Molecular Systems, Inc., 563 U.S. 776 (2011)
  • Greenberg v. Miami Children’s Research Hospital Institute (2003)
  • Assoc. for Molecular Biology v Myriad Genetics, Inc., 569 U.S.___ (2013)
  • Szafranski v Dunston 2015, IL App (1st) 122975-B

Human subjects research (general)

• Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) Office of Human Research Protections
  • OHRP Regulations and Policy
  • 45 CFR 46 Guidance, Regulations, Common Rule
  • FAQ About Human Research

Infertility, parenting, and surrogacy

• A Finklestein, et al, Surrogacy law and policy in the US (May 2016)
• G Gaddie, The personhood movement’s effect on assisted reproductive technology, Texas Law Review (Vol 96, Issue 6, 2019?)
• NCSL, State laws related to insurance coverage for infertility treatment (4.27.18)
• Country/province laws re: ART
  • Australia-Queensland: Surrogacy Act 2010
  • Canada: Assisted Human Reproduction Act S.C. 2004, c. 2, (FAQ)
  • India: Surrogacy Bill 2016 (proposed)
  • Israel: Embryo Carrying Agreement (1996)
  • Russia: Family Code of Russia (art. 51-52); the Law on Acts on Civil Status (art. 16)
  • South Africa: Children’s Act 38 2005
  • Thailand: Protection of Children Born from Assisted Reproductive Technologies Act (passed 2105; bill in draft form; explainer)
  • Ukraine: Family Code of Ukraine, Article 123
  • United Kingdom: Surrogacy Arrangements Act 1985 (see also HFEA 1990 §30)
• State laws:
  • Legal definition of ‘father’ by state
  • Gestational Surrogacy Law Across the US; click on state link for reference to specific law
• Lawsuits:
  • In re Baby M [Whitehead v. Stern], 537 A.2d 1227, 109 N.J. 396 (N.J. 1988)
  • Findley v Lee, Superior Court of California, FDI-13-780539, 4 (Cal. Tentative Ruling Filed Nov. 18, 2015)
    • SF Colb, Frozen embryo disputes, Verdict, 12.23.15
    • L Wills, In case of divorce, destroy the eggs, American Bar Assoc, 12.9.15
  • J.F. v. D.B. et al., No. 22709. Court of Appeals of Ohio, Ninth District, Summit County. March 15, 2006
  • Johnson v. Calvert, Supreme Court of California , 5 Cal. 4^th 84. 19 Cal. Rptr. 2d 494, 851 P.2d 776 (1993)
  • In re the marriage of Buzzanca, 61 Cal. App. 4th 1410, 72 Cal. Rptr. 2d 280 (Ct. App. 1998)
  • In re the Paternity of F. T. R. [Rosecky v. Schissel], 2013 WI 66 (July 11, 2013)
  • Perry-Rogers v. Fasano, Supreme Court of New York, Appellate Division
    715 N.Y.S. 2d 19 (N.Y. App. Div. 2000)
  • Turczyn v. Turczyn, PICS Case No. 00-2226 (Pa. Super. Nov. 14, 2000)

Tissues & organs

• National Conference of State Legislatures, Embryonic and Fetal Tissue Research Laws (1.1.16)
• National Organ Transplant Act, PL 98-507, 1984
  • 42 USC 274: Organ procurement and transplantation network (updated thru 6.29.16)
  • Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, HHS
  • United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS)
• Statute on Fetal Tissue Transplantation Research, PL 103-43; June 10, 1993
• Lawsuits
  • Strunk v. Strunk 445 S.W.2d 145 (1969)
  • Hart v. Brown (29 Conn. Supp. 368) 1972
  • McFall v. Shrimp 10 Pa. D. & C. 3d 90 (1978)
  • Little v. Little 576 S.W.2d 493 (1979)
  • Moore v. Regents of the University of California 51 Cal.3d 120 (1990) 793 P.2d 479 271 Cal. Rptr. 146
  • Mansaw v. Midwest Organ Bank No. 97-0271-CV-W-6 (1998)
  • Washington University v. Catalona Nos. 06-2286, 06-2301. 490 F.3d 667 (2007)
  • Adams v. King County No. 81028-1. 192 P.3d 891 (2008)
  • Baleno et al. v. Texas Department of State Health Services (settled)

Additional sources on laws and regulations

• Embryo Project Encyclopedia
• Verdict: Family law | Reproductive law