Mission

The need for such a Laboratory arose during the implementation of the program “Medically Assisted Reproduction and Protection of the Embryo in Vitro” (February 2014 – October 2015) which was part of ARISTEIA II and was approved and implemented by the Faculty of Law , in collaboration with the AUTh School of Medicine; it was co-funded by the European Union and the General Secretariat of /research and Technology.

During the development of this program, the current legislative framework of seven European countries on assisted reproduction was consulted and the problems stemming from such a framework were foregrounded. In addition to this legislative framework, relative national and international studies were deployed, as well as an updated bibliography. Personal interviews with almost 100 scientists, all experts in assisted reproduction issues, were conducted, including jurists, doctors, psychologists, biologists, theologians, anthropologists and specialists in strategy on assisted reproduction and embryology. Seven national reports were drawn up, which were the rock bed of an extended comparative study; two international conferences were organised in Thessaloniki, Greece, with 57 lecturers in total; the Minutes were published in four volumes in Greek and in English and concrete proposals were drafted – in Greek and in English as well – for the formulation of a European legislative framework in the field of assisted reproduction, through which the complex problems consequent to the legislative restrictions in individual countries can be solved.

These proposals have been sent to the Authorities in Greece and the European Union.

Meanwhile, a website for issues of medically assisted reproduction issues was set up, where one could find all relevant legislation, extensive case law of Greek and European courts, studies, surveys, news and other material. All the research material is also posted on this website (repro.law.auth.gr).

The implementation of the program highlighted the need to strengthen and to broaden the interdisciplinary dialogue in the field of medical law and bioethics. In such a context, a stable structure can offer to the Faculty of Law a set of resources on topics of particular interest not only for the scientific community but for the whole society.

The Laboratory of Medical Law and Bioethics operates in this way, and further evolves this ARISTEIA project, drawing from its results, research tools and database. At the same time, it builds on and maintains all the already founded collaborations of the research team with other universities or institutes domestically and abroad (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panteion University, University of the Aegean, Paris I, Pantheon-Sorbonne, University Sacro Cuore, Göteborg, Mannheim, European University of Cyprus, University of Nicosia, Uppsala University, University Cambridge, Queen Mary University, Manchester University, UCL, Trento University, Augsburg University, London School of Economics), but with national authorities, too, such as the Authority of Medically Assisted Reproduction and the National Bioethics Committee.