Chulalongkorn University

The Eighth Asian Bioethics Conference

Biotechnology, Culture, and Human Values in Asia and Beyond

March 19-23, 2007, Century Park Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand

The Concept of Privacy in Asian and Western Cultures

Convenor: Dr. Dr. Brigitte Jansen, Visiting Professor Department of Politics and Public Administration, University of Madras, India /BioEthicsLaw e.V. , Berlin, jansen@bioethicslaw.net

To be held with the Eighth Asian Bioethics Conference, 19 - 23 March, 2007, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand

In the last decade the participation of patients and populations in large collections of human biological samples and genetic data ( "bio banks") clinical trials and pandemics the concept of privacy plays more and more an important role. Also in the discussion about bioterrorism and a potential pandemic

Observing this we can notice that there is a high degree of ethnic and cultural diversity between and within Western countries themselves and also the countries in Asia. In this context the most claimed conception is the concept of privacy but what is the meaning of "privacy" in the different cultural background?

Here are some possible topics to be discussed in the panel:

  1. The idea and evolution of the concept of "privacy" in Europe.
  2. What are the consequences of this concept for the European cultures?
  3. History and evolution of the term "privacy" in the Asia countries.
  4. Perception of privacy in the evolution of the society.
  5. Privacy in clinical trials carry out from 3rd foreign investigators
  6. Data protection and privacy
  7. Privacy in the doctor/patient relation
  8. Privacy in a cohort study related for e.g. cancer
  9. Privacy and HIV-AIDS
  10. Privacy as a higher good in the time of pandemics
  11. Privacy and the relation to human right
  12. Privacy and bioterrorism

Papers exploring any of these topics can be presented in various forms of academic disciplines such as sociological, religious, law or philosophical study. Please send your paper proposals (no more than 2,500 words) to Dr. Brigitte Jansen, Convenor of the Panel. The deadline for submitting the paper abstracts or proposals is 30 November 2006.

*All communication regarding this panel should be addressed to Dr. Brigitte Jansen. Thank you.*

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