The applicability and effectiveness of the article 8 of the European Convention of human rights in the field of bioethics

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K03450
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: New fields of law
• Research Institution: Aichi University
• Principal Investigator: KOBAYASHI Maki 愛知大学, 法学部, 教授 (60350930)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 生命倫理 / ヨーロッパ人権条約 / 私生活を尊重される権利 / 生殖補助医療 / 終末期医療 / 自己決定 / 自律

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The aim of my research is to analyze and make clear the effectiveness of the article 8 of the European Convention of human rights in the field of bioethics. This article concerns the right to respect for private life, but it has not been clear so far whether it is applicable to cases of medical assistance for reproduction or to cases of terminal care. The European Court of human rights (ECHR) has recently judged that the notion of “private life” should include the right to personal autonomy, especially the right to self-determination, which constituted the base of decisions made by applicants in the field of bioethics. However, the protection of this right depends on whether the respondent State should be afforded a wide margin of appreciation in this sphere. It is so important that the control of the ECHR to verify if the State strike a fair balance between the competing interests in the present case and if there is no appearance of a failure to respect the applicant’ right.

Free Research Field

基礎法学、生命倫理法

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

生殖補助医療や終末期医療においては、個人が、本人あるいは家族の生や死について様々な決定をくださなければならない場面に直面する。本研究により明らかになった、ヨーロッパ人権条約8条の「私生活を尊重される権利」に基づき、決定に至る過程に着目する保障の枠組みを考慮することは、こうした個人が行う決定を、いかなる法的根拠に基づき、どのように保障すべきかという問題に対する一つの解決策を提示できる点で意義がある。