1. Oviedo Convention impact for legislation and practices Cristina Gavrilovici, MD, PhD Romanian Bioethics Committee Bratislava, 2009

2. What does Oviedo Convention represent for romanian legislation? Law no 17/2001: the ratification of Oviedo Convention for the protection of Human Rights and dignity of the human being with regard to the application of biology and medicine

3. Chapter II - Consent Romanian deontology code (for physicians and nurses) (last revision 30.08.2008) Law 46/ 21.01.2003: Romanian patients’ rights law Law 487/2002: the law of mental health and protection of people with mental health

4. Chapter III - Private life and right to information Law 677/12.12.2001: the law regarding the protection of persons in relation to personal data and the free circulation of these data Law 584/29.10.2002: The law regarding the prevention of HIV/AIDS and protection of AIDS/HIV infected people The governmental decision related to compulsory introduction of biometric passports

5. Chapter IV - Human genome No romanian law focused on genetics Additional protocol over genetic testing is pending to promulgation

6. Chapter V - Scientific research Law no 206/ 27.05.2004: Romanian research law The decision regarding the authorisation of clinical trials (non-interventional)

7. Chapter VI - Organ and tissue removal from living donors for transplantation purposes Romanian transplantation law – still pending

8. The merits of romanian medical legislation Most if not all medical laws in Romania have an important ethical part (which has been subject to debate…before the bill became a law)

9. The merits of Oviedo Convention The launch for many ethical debate and medical legislation at the european level

10. It does not bring a definition of PERSON – It merely uses the terms of “human being” “dignity, respect, welfare, interest of the human being” – When it comes to sensitive issues like Chapter III - Private life and right to information, it uses the term “everyone”, with no clue for what “everyone” include (embryos as well???) The weakness of Oviedo Convention

11. Conclusions It is easier to write a law than to implement a practice There is a big gap between legislation and practice

12. Conclusions “I can't go back to yesterday - because I was a different person then” ( Alice in woderland ) WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD

13. Conclusions “- Which road do I take? she asked. - It depends: Where do you want to go?” (Alice in woderland) WE NEED TO GO TOWARDS HARMONIZATION AS MUCH AS WE CAN