Topic: Privacy of Personal Genetic Information
Country: Bosnia and Herzegovina
Delegate Name: Alexandra Plichta
School: Mattawan High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Bosnia and Herzegovina position papers GLIMUN 2010 committees
It is apparent that progress in genetic studies causes much controversy throughout the world; human rights violations stem from the distribution of private genetic information to certain groups. Bosnia strongly feels that personal privacy is of the utmost importance. Intricate laws restrict who can gain access to one's personal information, including health records, and for what purposes. For example, one must give someone unambiguous permission to use the information. The person obtaining the information must have a legally legitimate reason to use the information. The provider of the information can implore the information from the holder of it. The provider can, also, request that the information be deleted if it is false or outdated.
Because data is so private, employers should not be able to choose whom to hire based on one's health records, especially when one's health rarely pertains to the ability to perform tasks. Similarly, doctors, while they should be allowed to screen people for genes that lead towards aggressive behavior if the patient in question asks for it, they should not be able to prosecute the person for having such genetic traits. Also, doctors should be allowed to send information to third-party pharmaceutical companies, under the assumption that patients give commendation for them to do so. International crime courts should not intercede on the handling of such privacy violations. Violations should be handled by the specific country in question because international crime courts typically do not address cases between individuals or special interest groups. Above all, Bosnia believes that the sacred information that belongs to individuals should be respected and used by others in ways that the individual in question approves of.
