Ethical questions over police use of DNA
A consultation launched today by the Nuffield Council on Bioethics questions whether current laws allowing police to take, store and analyse the DNA of suspects, witnesses and victims should be...
View ArticleCouncil’s DNA recommendations endorsed by human rights ruling
In a landmark ruling, judges at the European Court of Human Rights have endorsed the Council’s recommendations against storing DNA profiles and samples of innocent people on the National DNA Database....
View ArticleBioinformation - Introduction
In September 2007, the Nuffield Council on Bioethics published a report, The forensic use of bioinformation: ethical issues, which considers the ethical issues raised by the use of DNA and...
View ArticleBioinformation - What is bioinformation?
Download a PDF of Chapter 1 - Introduction to bioinformation (92KB)Also on the WebAlso on the Web: Featured contentFeature item image: Feature item strap line: Feature text: Feature item link: read more
View ArticleBioinformation - Interpretation of bioinformation
Download a PDF of Chapter 2 - The interpretation of bioinformation (182 KB)Also on the WebAlso on the Web: Featured contentFeature item image: Feature item strap line: Feature text: Feature item link:...
View ArticleBioinformation - Ethical values and human rights
Download a PDF of Chapter 3 - Ethical values and human rights (92KB)Also on the WebAlso on the Web: Featured contentFeature item image: Feature item strap line: Feature text: Feature item link: read more
View ArticleBioinformation - Criminal investigation
Download a PDF of Chapter 4 - Criminal investigation (153KB)Also on the WebAlso on the Web: read more
View ArticleBioinformation - Bioinformation in court
Download a PDF of Chapter 5 - Trial (90KB)Also on the WebAlso on the Web: Featured contentFeature item image: Feature item strap line: Feature text: Feature item link: read more
View ArticleBioinformation - Expanding uses of the National DNA Database
Download a PDF of Chapter 6 - Familial searching, inferring ethnicity and research uses (97KB)Also on the WebAlso on the Web: read more
View ArticleBioinformation - Governance and ethical oversight
Download a PDF of Chapter 7 - Governance and ethical oversight (431KB)Also on the WebAlso on the Web: Featured contentFeature item image: Feature item strap line: Feature text: Feature item link: read...
View ArticleBioinformation - Key findings
Since this report was published, there have been a number of developments in this area of law. The information below applies to the time at which the report was published. For information aboutchanges...
View ArticleEducation - Teaching resource: the forensic use of bioinformation
The Council has developed a set of teaching resources based on its 2007 report 'The forensic use of bioinformation: ethical issues'. There are three activities to teach students to think about how...
View ArticleBioinformation
Fingerprinting and DNA profiling are valuable tools in the fight against crime, but there is a debate about whether police powers to keep people's details on record are justified. This report uses the...
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