Rethinking Brain Death as a Legal Fiction: Is the Terminology the Problem?

Brain death, or the determination of death by neurological criteria, has been described as a legal fiction. Legal fictions are devices by which the law treats two analogous things (in this case, biological death and brain death) in the same way so that the law developed for one can also cover the other. Some scholars argue that brain death should be understood as a fiction for two reasons: the way brain death is determined does not actually satisfy legal criteria requiring the permanent cessation of all brain function, and brain death is not consistent with the biological conception of death as involving the irreversible cessation of the functioning of an organism as a whole. Critics counter that the idea that brain death is a legal fiction is deceptive and undemocratic. I will argue that diagnosing brain death as a hidden legal fiction is a helpful way to understand its historical development and current status. For the legal-fictions approach to be ethically justifiable, however, the fact that brain death is a legal fiction not aligned with the standard biological conception of death must be acknowledged and made transparent.

[Selected legal aspects of the protection of the unborn child in the light of the draft amendment to the Polish Penal Code]. / Wybrane aspekty prawne ochrony dziecka poczetego w swietle projektu nowelizacji Kodeksu Karnego.

Criminal Law Codification Commission, acting at the Ministry of Justice prepared proposals for amendments in the Polish Penal Code, related to offenses against life and health that were presented to the public in 2013. The draft provides for the protection of the child in the prenatal stage, introducing a new category of the entity to be protected, which is "unborn child" and "unborn child able to live outside the mother's body". These regulations provide for mothers criminal liability and responsibility of the medical staff (a doctor), as well as the child's father to the extent in which he is obliged to take steps aimed at rescuing the fetus. It is doctor's responsibility to show particular care for human health and life since a doctor has special medical knowledge and that is regulated by art. 30 of the act on professions of doctor and dentist. The proposed rule changes were not brought before the legislature in the current term of the Sejm (2011-2015), but due to the development of medicine, including obstetrical ultrasound, which enables visualization of a child that moves in the womb and is treated as a separate entity with distinct personal features the grounds are given for the opinion that the issue of the legal status of the unborn child, particularly in the context of causing death of a child in the last phase before birth as a result of medical malpractice or other external factors will be back in the public discussion.

[Some issues regarding the Hungarian regulation of traditional Chinese medicine and possible solutions based on examples from the United Kingdom]. / A hagyományos kínai orvoslás magyarországi szabályozásának egyes problémái és lehetséges megoldásai az Egyesült Királyság példáján keresztül.

This paper aims to present factual information and to suggest possible solutions regarding some of the recent questions which have arisen regarding the regulation of traditional Chinese medicine in Hungary. According to current legislation "traditional Chinese doctors", who are the most highly trained professionals in this field, are not allowed to practice Chinese medicine and acupuncture in Hungary. This situation cannot be explained by their educational background, as they receive thorough training in both Chinese medicine and modern medical sciences. Furthermore, this legislation is not supported by any EU standard: Traditional Chinese medicine professionals can practice Chinese medicine and acupuncture in a number of European countries within a legal and regulated framework. Different kinds of healthcare professionals may practice Chinese medicine and acupuncture in the UK - this could be a good example for Hungarian regulation. The five-year bachelor level traditional Chinese medicine training at the Faculty of Health Sciences, Semmelweis University and the increasing number of locally trained traditional Chinese medicine professionals could be a good basis for laying the groundwork of the new system.

De la intimidad genética al derecho a la protección de datos genéticos. La protección iusfundamental de los datos genéticos en el Derecho español (A propósito de las SSTC 290/2000 y 292/2000, de 30 de noviembre) (Parte II) / From genetic intimay to the Right of protecting genetic data: the

No disponible

No disponible

Remedios políticos para los medicamentos / Politics care to drugs

Los medicamentos constituyen el procedimiento terapéutico más masivamente utilizado. Prescribir, dispensar, medicar o simplemente convidar, se han convertido, no sólo para los profesionales, sino también para la población, en prácticas sociales frecuentes y "naturales". Costoso y peligroso, el consumo irracional de medicamentos se multiplica con rapidez en todo el mundo. Los costos y la preocupación por los efectos adversos se han incorporado a las agendas de las comunidades sanitarias. La industria del medicamento, calidad y consumo. Precios, monopolios y equidad. El programa de medicamentos de la Provincia de Buenos Aires-Argentina son parte dl contenido