Terry Kaan Interviewed on Ethics of China Tweaking Genes to Induce Mental Illness in Monkeys (SCMP)

"China has tweaked genes to create five mad monkeys. Is that ethical?"

Laurie Chen
South China Morning Post
27 January 2019

Medical ethics experts are divided over an experiment in which Chinese scientists cloned gene-edited monkeys to induce mental illness in them.

     The five cloned monkey embryos had been edited to remove the BMAL1 gene, leading the baby animals to display symptoms of conditions such as anxiety, depression and schizophrenia as a result of disruption to their circadian rhythms, according to a study published in National Science Review on Thursday.

...

     But Terry Kaan Sheung-hung, co-director of the University of Hong Kong’s Centre for Medical Ethics and Law, said he had no objection to the experiment. 

     “Gene editing is not so different from the older gene knockout technique, which has been widely accepted in scientific circles for a long time. This new instance is a further development of the technique,” he said, adding that the gene knockout technique was commonly used in lab mice.

     “The report says that the scientists were careful in carrying out the experiment in accordance with animal welfare regulations, and the findings are open and subject to peer scrutiny.” ... Click here to read the full text. 

HKU's New LLM in Medical Ethics and Law (Deadline: 28 Feb 2019)

Master of Laws in Medical Ethics and Law 

LLM (MEL)

The delivery of healthcare and the conduct of biomedical research are fields which are being transformed by rapidly advancing technologies, and which attract constant law reforms and rapidly evolving standards and policy innovation. These dynamic transformations at the junction of the professional disciplines of law and of medicine raise ethical, legal and social issues in relation to the practice of medicine and the conduct of biomedical research. The Master of Laws in Medical Ethics and Law is a interdisciplinary programme designed to equip lawyers, physicians, nurses, healthcare workers, medical social workers, healthcare administrators with the tools necessary to recognise and meet current and emerging ethical, legal and social challenges in the fields of healthcare and biomedical research. The programme is offered by the Faculty of Law and is an joint initiative of both the Faculty of Law and the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, with academic leadership and teaching support from both faculties. Students will be required to take core modules covering topics in bioethics, the legal and ethical underpinnings of the physician-patient relationship, issues in the beginning and the end of life, and the regulation of biomedical research, as well as appropriate elective modules drawn from those offered by the Law Faculty and other schools.

Mode of Attendance

Full Time (one year)

Part Time (two years)

Medium of Instruction

English

Programme Entrance Requirements

Applicants must comply with the General Regulations and fulfil at least one of requirements (1) to (3) below AND (if applicable) requirement (4)

(1) hold a degree of Bachelor of Laws with at least second class honours of the the University, or a qualification of equivalent standard from the University or another comparable institution accepted for this purpose; or
(2) hold a degree of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from the University, or a qualification of equivalent standard from the University or another comparable institution accepted for this purpose; or
(3) hold a degree in a discipline other than law or medicine with at least second class honours of the University, or a qualification of equivalent standard from the University or another comparable institution accepted for this purpose; and have at least two years of relevant experience and professional qualifications.
(4) for a candidate who is seeking admission on the basis of a qualification from a university or comparable institution outside Hong Kong of which the language of teaching and/or examination is not English, shall satisfy the English language requirements as prescribed by the University (under General Regulation G2(b)) and the Faculty of Law.

Programme Admissions Advisor

Mr Terry Kaan

Email: cmel@hku.hk

Contacts

Tel: 39171845

Email: cmel@hku.hk

Website: https://llm.law.hku.hk/mel/

Terry Kaan Urges Caution on Launching Opt-Out Organ Donation Scheme in Hong Kong (SCMP)

"Hong Kong urged to clarify legal issues before launching opt-out organ donation scheme"
Elizabeth Cheung
South China Morning Post
9 April 2017

Hong Kong is not yet ready for an opt-out organ donation scheme as legal issues and further medical matters need to clarified, an expert in the field says.

     Terry Kaan Sheung-hung, co-director of the University of Hong Kong’s Centre for Medical Ethics and Law, issued the caution as health minister Dr Ko Wing-man revealed that the government was thinking about introducing an opt-out scheme to increase the transplant rate.

     Under such a system a person would be considered a willing donor upon their death unless stating an objection in advance.

     The organ donation rate in Hong Kong is among the lowest in the world, with only 5.8 in every million people donating in 2015, compared with 39.7 in Spain. By the end of March more than 248,000 people had registered at the centralised organ donation register.

     Kaan said the city should first legislate the definition of brain death, a condition in which a person’s brain no longer functioned but the heart might continue to beat with the support of a ventilator... Click here to read the full article.

HKU Law Hosts International Conference on Surrogacy (8-9 Sept 2016)

The Centre for Medical Ethics & Law

of the University of Hong Kong

in conjunction with 

The Centre for Law, Medicine and Life Sciences, 

University of Cambridge

are pleased to announce a conference on

Eastern and Western Perspectives on Surrogacy

Friday & Saturday, 9-10 September 2016

Wang Gungwu Theatre

Graduate House

The University of Hong Kong

With the advances in artificial reproductive techniques, and an increasingly globalised world, surrogacy has gone from a niche practice to a global market, raising questions of parenthood, conflict of laws, and the commercialisation of the birth process. While there have been comparative studies undertaken concerning approaches to surrogacy from Europe and "Western" jurisdictions, there is gap in the literature with regard to the approach international surrogacy in Asia (and indeed Africa). As such, this conference will bring together academics from both Eastern and Western jurisdictions in order to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the confluences and tensions between the way in which surrogacy is approached in these two regions.

Topics: 

• Comparative perspectives on surrogacy from experts from Australia, England, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, USA 
• The Process of Law Reform (Law Commissioner, England and Wales) 
• Judicial perspectives from past and present judges from Australia, England and Germany 

Keynote Speakers: Sir Mark Hedley (retired High Court Judge, England and Wales), Chief Justice John Pascoe (Federal Court of Australia)

Speakers: Walter Pintens, Anatol Dutta, Frank Klinkhammer, Claire Fenton-Glynn, Mary Keyes, Debra Wilson, Debbie Horsten, Rhona Schuz, Olga Khazova, June Carbone, Prabha Kotiswaran, Daisy Cheung, Terry Kaan, Chih-Hsing Ho, Soraj Hongladarom, Shinichiro Hayakawa, Nick Hopkins

Moderators: Esther Farnos Amoros, Marcus Dearle, Matthew Jolley, Johannes Chan, Azan Marwah, Spencer Clarke, Jens M Scherpe

Project Leaders: Jens M Scherpe, Claire Fenton-Glynn and Terry Kaan

Information & Registration: +(852) 3917 1845; cmel@hku.hk.  Registration here

Precision Medicine: Legal and Ethical Challenges (Report on HKU-Cambridge Conference)

HKU-Cambridge Conference on Implications of Precision Medicine

In recent years, the cost of sequencing the entire genome of an individual (a procedure known as whole genome sequencing, or WGS) has dropped to a point that its routine use in some clinical applications has become a reality in some areas of medicine in developed countries. The information gained from the WGS procedure is analyzed with a view to gaining insights into potential vulnerabilities to disease for that particular individual, on the basis that some kinds of genetic sequences are known to be, or are suspected to be associated with particular kinds of disease, or predict for vulnerability to genetically-associated conditions. The basis of an entire new arm of medicine, generally referred to as either personalized medicine or precision medicine, rests on the notion that the specific clinical information about a given individual (including but not limited to WGS information) may be harnessed to refine or tailor treatment choices and regimes for that individual, instead of taking every adult patient as a ‘standard’ patient for whom standard interventions and standard doses and methodologies are to be offered.

     While the science and methodology of genomic sequencing has now been mastered, the full significance of the information gained through the WGS of any given individual is much less well understood. Even less well explored are the legal and ethical implications of personalised medicine or precision medicine. With WGS, for example, a physician will have as part of the patient’s medical records the patient’s entire genome. But in the current state of medical science, we can only draw limited conclusions about its likely impact on a very limited number of genetically linked conditions. Much is uncertain, and must (except in certain very rare conditions) be couched not in terms of certainties, but in terms of probabilities of varying degrees of confidence. Analysing a patient’s genome for specific conditions cost money, time and resources. What kind of analyses should be offered to the patient, or be carried out? What are the duties of clinicians to their patients in respect of such decisions? By definition, genetic information is familial: the information about health vulnerabilities gained from a given patient is relevant not only just for the patient, but for the patient’s family and relations. What issues of privacy and consent are raised by such familial implications?

     On April 7-8 2016, the Centre for Medical Ethics & Law of the University of Hong Kong (http://www.cmel.hku.hk) and the Centre for Law, Medicine and Life Sciences of the University of Cambridge (http://www.lml.law.cam.ac.uk) were the joint hosts and organizers of an international conference on ‘Legal and Ethical Implications of Precision Medicine’ held at the premises of Faculty of Law of the University of Hong Kong to explore these and related issues. Over two days, 29 speakers drawn from the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Hong delivered presentations. Opening each of the four keynote sessions were particularly distinguished scholars in the field, including Dr Ron Zimmern of the PHG Foundation; Professor Henry T. Greely of the Center for Law and the Biosciences, Stanford University; Professor I. Glenn Cohen of the Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics of Harvard; Professor Donald Chalmers of the Centre for Law & Genetics of the University of Tasmania, and Professor Bartha Maria Knoppers of the Center of Genomics and Policy of McGill University. Abstracts and the slide presentations for each of the presentations are available at from the conference micro-site at http://www.cmel.hku.hk/conference/pmconference/.'

Report on Asia Launch of Global Health Risk Framework Recommendations

In order to cope with the risk of major outbreak of infectious diseases around the globe, the Commission on a Global Health Risk Framework for the Future of the U.S. National Academy of Medicine released a report and recommended an investment of $4.5 billion per year to strengthen national public health systems, improve global response coordination and capabilities, and accelerate R&D. Professor Gabriel Leung, Commissioner and Dean of Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong (HKU), said, “Hong Kong and neighbouring Asian countries have experienced epidemics of infectious diseases, such as SARS, H1N1, H3N2, H7N9, etc. With the recent outbreak of seasonal influenza, both public and private medical services were overwhelmed due to the excessive demand for medical care, revealing deficiencies in global defenses against potential pandemics. It is most timely that we can have an in-depth discussion at this important occasion and offer recommendations to combat infectious diseases.”

     In collaboration with the Centre for Medical Ethics and Law of HKU, the U.S. National Academy of Medicine and Bauhinia Foundation Research Centre, the WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control at the School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine of HKU hosted the Asia Launch cum Seminar of the Report Recommendations of the Commission on a Global Health Risk Framework for the Future at HKU today (March 13, 2016) and presented the report in Asia for the first time... Click here to read the entire press release.

Terry Kaan on the Regulation of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine

"Traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine"
Terry Kaan
in Yann Joly & Bartha Maria Knoppers (eds), Routledge Handbook on Medical Law and Ethics (New York, Routledge, 2015) pp 419-442.

Abstract: A survey of the role and impact of traditional, complementary and alternative systems of medicine around the world, with a particular focus on the example of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and the regulation of such systems of medicine in the context of national health regulatory systems largely predicated on the 'Western medicine' model.

Terry Kaan on Embryo Freezing (China Daily Interview)

"Embryo of hope"

Frannie Guan

China Daily

4 November 2015

The unyielding demands on the city’s workers — the sometimes "notorious" work ethic that fuels the city’s fast pace — is a significant factor contributing to a future of economic decline and a shrinking population, say experts. 

     Yip Siu-fai, a non-official member of Hong Kong’s Steering Committee on Population Policy, points to the city’s notoriously low fertility rate (1.234, 2014), and says the city’s failure to reach the long sought-after, work-life balance is one of the leading causes. 

     The low fertility rate doesn’t mean Hong Kong women don’t want to have babies, says Yip, but they are putting it off. Some are turning to reproductive technology, delaying pregnancy until past their normal reproductive years, up to age 35. Experts caution, however, that there is a limit to how far technologies can help stretch late motherhood...

     Egg freezing is a leading example of advanced reproductive technology, used worldwide to help women preserve their eggs for future pregnancies. Chinese actress and film director Xu Jinglei made news when at 41 she traveled to the United States to have her eggs frozen. The Chinese mainland bans the practice for single women.

     The case triggered public reaction. The loudest voices were those who believe it is a woman’s natural right to have her eggs frozen. They argue that the government should not interfere with family planning at that level. Those who oppose the practice argue that despite the advancement of technology, the success rate of egg freezing is much lower than that of embryo freezing, as eggs, having high water content, are more difficult to freeze...

     "Egg freezing arrests time for the eggs, but it does not freeze time for the mother’s fertility and overall health. The mother continues to get older," said Terry Kaan Sheung-hung, co-director of the Centre for Medical Ethics and Law at the University of Hong Kong. "If we think about the right of women to have a child, we should also consider the interests of the child." He contended that it is to the greater benefit of the child to be born to a relatively young couple, than to couples in their late 40s... Click here to read the full article.

Privacy and Legal Issues in Cloud Computing (New Book from Anne Cheung and Rolf Weber)

Privacy and Legal Issues in Cloud Computing
Editors: Anne Cheung and Rolf Weber
Edward Elgar, 2015, 320 pp.

Description: Adopting a multi-disciplinary and comparative approach, this book focuses on emerging and innovative attempts to tackle privacy and legal issues in cloud computing, such as personal data privacy, security and intellectual property protection. Leading international academics and practitioners in the fields of law and computer science examine the specific legal implications of cloud computing pertaining to jurisdiction, biomedical practice and information ownership. This collection offers original and critical responses to the rising challenges posed by cloud computing.

     An international team of legal scholars, computer science researchers, regulators and practitioners present original and critical responses to the growing challenges posed by cloud computing. They analyse the specific legal implications pertaining to jurisdiction, biomedical practice and information ownership, as well as issues of regulatory control, competition and cross-border regulation.  Law academics, practitioners and regulators will find this book to be a valuable, practical and accessible resource, as will computer science scholars interested in cloud computing issues.

     HKU Faculty chapter contributions: "Introduction: a walk in the clouds" (Anne Cheung & Rolf Weber), "Introduction to cloud computing and security issues" (Joe Kong, Xiaoxi Fan and KP Chow), "Legal safeguards for cloud computing" (Rolf Weber), "Re-personalizing personal data in the cloud" (Anne Cheung), "Lost in translation: Transforming healthcare information for the digital and cloud domains" (Terry Kaan).

28 Nov 14: Symposium on Privacy in Greater China Conference

The Law and Technology Centre is organizing a Symposium on Privacy in Greater China Conference on 28 November 2014, 9am-5:30pm, 11/F, Cheng Yu Tung Tower, Faculty of Law, University of Hong Kong.  

Description: The one-day symposium focuses on the development of privacy and personal data protection in Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and mainland China, the four regions with close cultural ties and sharing similar impacts from advancing Internet and communication technologies. Local and international experts from the academics, industries, and regulatory authorities will gather to explore and reflect on the privacy challenges and legal responses in the four jurisdictions respectively, in particular on health data protection and consumer data handling. In addition, a special Roundtable discussion will be held, focusing on the controversial Right to be Forgotten.  Keynote Speaker: Allan Chiang (Privacy Commissioner).  Other Speakers: John Bacon-Shone, Anne Cheung, Yongxi Chen, Ding Chunyan, Henry Chan, Pancy Fung, Stuart Hargreaves, Chih-hsing Ho, Terry Kaan, Ching-Yi Liu, Lin Wei, Charles Mok, Carly Nyst, Marcelo Thompson, Ken Yang, Yan Meining, Zhao Yun.  Cost: Free for students, otherwise $150 registration fee.  Click here to register. 

Kaan's Genetic Privacy Book Highly Commended

Congratulations to Terry Kaan, Associate Professor and Co-Director of HKU's Centre for Medical Ethics and Law, whose co-edited book, Genetic Privacy: An Evaluation of the Ethical and Legal Landscape (London: Imperial College Press, 2014) (with Calvin Ho) received a "Highly commended" award in the 2014 British Medical Association's Medical Book Awards.  The award was made within the 'Health and social care' category concerned with "Community care, health prevention, management, health services, medico-politics, medico-legal medicine, social medicine".  

About the Book.  Privacy is an unwieldy concept that has eluded an essentialised definition despite its centrality and importance in the body of bioethics. The compilation presented in this volume represents continuing discussions on the theme of privacy in the context of genetic information. It is intended to present a wide range of expert opinion in which the notion of privacy is examined from many perspectives, in different contexts and imperatives, and in different societies, with the hope of advancing an understanding of privacy through the examination and critique of some of its evolving component concepts such as notions of what constitute the personal, the context of privacy, the significance and impact of the relational interests of others who may share the same genetic inheritance, and mechanisms for the protection of privacy (as well as of their limitations), among others. More specifically, the discussions in this volume encourages us to think broadly about privacy, as encompassing values that are entailed in the sociality of context and of relations, and also as freedom from illegitimate and excessive surveillance. A long-standing question that continues to challenge us is whether genetic information should be regarded as exceptional, as it is often perceived. A conclusion that could be derived from this volume is that while genetic information may be significant, it is not exceptionally so. The work presented in this volume underlines the continuing and growing relevance of notions of privacy to genomic science, and the need to take ownership of a genetic privacy for the future through broad, rigorous and open discussion.  Contributors: Alastair V Campbell, Benjamin Capps, Jacqueline JL Chin, Oi Lian Kon, Kenji Matsui, Thomas H Murray, Nazirudin Mohd Nasir, Dianne Nicol, Anh Tuan Nuyen, Onora O'Neill, Margaret Otlowski, Yvette van der Eijk, Chunshui Wang, Ross S White.  Chapter 1 ("The Notion of Genetic Privacy") is available for download here.

Collaboration with Cambridge University on Medical Ethics, Law and Policy

HKU and the University of Cambridge have signed a partnership agreement to collaborate on emerging issues on medical ethics, law and policy. Professor John Spencer of Cambridge U and Mr Terry Kaan of HKU Centre for Medical Ethics and Law officiated at the ceremony. The partnership is funded by the Hatton Trust and the WYNG Foundation. A lectureship and a junior research fellowship will be created to sponsor two scholars to visit HKU Centre for Medical Ethics and Law to spend up to four weeks at the University each year. Following the signing ceremony, Professor John Spencer gave a public lecture on “Criminalising sickness? Liability for the transmission of disease”. Professor Spencer explored the moral, legal and logistical dimensions of imposing civil or criminal liability for transmitting illness to another person. Professor Spencer’s talk focused on a UK rule that an HIV-positive person may be found to have maliciously inflicted grievous bodily harm for knowingly having unprotected sexual intercourse with an unaware partner. Researchers and advocacy groups have pointed out that the additional stigma and burden are potentially imposed upon the sick by such legal consequences. The wider relevance of the topic and the future of legislation around the transmission of illness are considerable interest in Hong Kong, where emerging infectious diseases are of constant concern and high in public awareness. For more, see HKU Press Release.  Professor Spencer's lecture can be viewed here.