Objective: 
Bioethics is defined as the application of ethics to the field of medicine and healthcare. Studying bioethics, the most important thing is to find the way to make decisions what is right, what is wrong, what is good, what is bad in the situations connected to life and the use of new biological and medical technologies. During the course it will be consider the following issues: the notion and basic principles of bioethics, the duties and the rights of physicians and patients, the relationship between doctor and patient (from paternalism to autonomy), the legal and ethical status of human body, the ethics of clinical trials and scientifical experiments and research on human beings and animals, the ethics in pharmaceutical industry, genetics and new technologies.
The course is dedicated to students who want to deep their knowledge in the field of bioethics, understanding its important role in practice. People who plan to work in biomedical and biotechnological fields should be especially interested this course.

The aim:
to deep student’s knowledge in the field of bioethics, understanding its important role in practice
to introduce students to important actual problems in the field of bioethics

Acquired knowledge:
Student should know main bioethical questions related to biomedicine, biotechnology and scientific research in the field of biology, biotechnology and medicine;
Student should identify ethical problems in life sciences

Acquired skills:
Student should identify and discuss basic principles of bioethics, like autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence and justice;
Student should provide a rational discussion about bioethical issues, preparing and using moral and legal arguments and justifying their opinions and decisions;
Student should have their own critical way of thinking, based on the knowledge of bioethical principles;

Developed reflection:
Student should be a responsible researcher, being aware of the importance of respecting bioethical principles in practice, specially during the process of making the research and reporting it.
Student should have a greater tolerance for bioethical discussions and the opposite views

Assessment: 
The final grade consists of: term papers (30%), case studies (20%), class activity (30%), student own work (20%).

Contents: 
Basic concepts of bioethics
Basic principles of bioethics
The relationship between doctor and patient
Status of human body and its parts
Genetics and new technologies
Scientific research in biomedicine and biotechnology
Legal issues of reproductive medicine
Legal aspects of euthanasia

Recommended reading: 
Principles of Biomedical Ethics, 7th edition, Beauchamp T.L., Childress J.F., Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2013.
Bioethics: An Anthology, 2nd edition,, Kuhse.H., Singer P., Blackwell, New York/London, 2006.
Biotechnologies and International Human Rights, Francioni F. (ed.), Hart Publishing, Oxford, 2007.