2012). In another paper on genetic screening, “The promises of genomic screening: building a governance infrastructure” by Martina Cornel,

Carla van El and Wybo Dundorp, the authors argue for the need of an infrastructure in order to facilitate a greater concordance between various actors, as well as to achieve a transparent Selleck BIIB057 control of the agenda setting in conjunction with the development and implementation of screening programs (Cornel et al. 2012). Participation and inclusiveness are also present in Herbert Gottweis’ and Georg Lauss’ article “Biobank governance: heterogeneous modes of ordering and democratization” in which they present and utilize an analytical model in order to study and compare the governance of biobanks. The authors further discuss attempts to develop governance structures that permit participation of those concerned, and they conclude that a facilitation of an integration of more or less interrelated actors within the context of biobanking should not be equated with democratization per se, but can nevertheless be regarded as an important step towards a more pluralistic and inclusive style of policy making (Gottweis and Lauss 2012).

In the article “Is there a doctor in the house? The presence of physicians in the direct-to-consumer genetic testing buy A-1155463 context” Heidi Howard and Pascal Borry (Howard and Borry 2012) investigate the involvement of health care professionals in the business models adopted by companies offering genetic testing through the Internet (Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing). The emergence of Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing might undermine, or even selleck kinase inhibitor short-cut, the influence of the medical community and the decision making through democratic channels on the use of new applications within genetics and

genomics as commercialization of genetic tests is based upon a consumer/market-based logic rather than public decision making. Jorge Sequerios Histamine H2 receptor presents his contribution on genetic definitions in European legal documents and international recommendations, guidelines and reports in two co-authored papers (Varga et al. 2012; Sequeiros et al. 2012). With regard to legal documents, genetic testing is more often defined in non-binding legal documents than in binding ones. Definitions are core elements of legal documents, and their accuracy and harmonization (particularly within a particular legal field) are critical to the interpretation of the document, if their implementation is not to be compromised. In the paper by Varga et al.