Legal Framework for Reproductive Biological Material

The paper is devoted to the study of the legal nature of reproductive biological material and determination of the optimal legal regime of germ cells (oocytes, sperm) and tissues of human reproductive organs intended for reproduction purposes. It is noted that the reproductive biomaterial is not a thing, since it does not have the characteristics inherent in this legal category, and needs a special legal regime. The extension of the regime of ownership of the germ cells and tissues of human reproductive organs is unacceptable neither from the position of the current legislation, nor from the perspective of its development prospects. An analysis of the legal opportunities provided by the legislator in relation to reproductive biomaterial, as well as the procedure for their implementation, led to the conclusion that neither the persons from whom it comes, nor medical organizations can be recognized as its owners. The regime of property rights is not suitable for ensuring and protecting the interests of participants in public relations arising in connection with the use of reproductive biomaterial. It is proved that in relation to the germ cells and tissues of the reproductive organs, the interest of a person is not in acquiring actual and legal domination over them as such, but in acquiring or, on the contrary, not acquiring parental rights and obligations in relation to a child born as a result of their use. It is concluded that the designated interest should be mediated not by a real, but by a reproductive right.

1. Krasavchikova LO. Ponyatie i sistema lichnykh, ne svyazannykh s imushchestvennymi prav grazhdan (fizicheskikh lits) v grazhdanskom prave Rossiyskoy Federatsii: dis. … d-ra yurid. nauk [The concept and system of personal, non-property rights of citizens (individuals) in the civil law of the Russian Federation. Dr. Sci. (Law) Dissertation]. Ekaterinburg; 1994. (In Russ.).

2. Lisachenko AV, Mayfat AV. Telo cheloveka, ego otdelnye chasti kak obekty pravovogo vozdeystviya (nekotorye predlozheniya dlya obsuzhdeniya) [The human body, its individual parts as objects of legal influence (some proposals for discussion)]. Yuridicheskiy mir [Juridical World]. 2002;2:4-15. (In Russ.).

3. Lorenz DV. Kvazizaveshchaniya chelovecheskikh organov i tkaney [Quasi-testaments of human organs and tissues]. Notarialnyy vestnik. 2013;1:36-43. (In Russ.).

4. Maleina MN. Razreshennye deystviya s embrionami i abortirovannymi plodami cheloveka i zakonodatelnye zaprety [Permitted actions with human embryos and aborted fetuses and legislative prohibitions]. Zakony Rossii: opyt, analiz, praktika [Laws of Russia: Experience, analysis, practice]. 2020;5:92-97. (In Russ.).

5. Romanovskiy GB. Reproduktivnye prava v Rossii i stranakh SNG: Sravnitelno-pravovoe issledovanie: monografiya [Reproductive rights in Russia and the CIS countries: A Comparative legal research. A monograph]. Penza; 2009. (In Russ.).

6. Fleishits EA. Izbrannye trudy po grazhdanskomu pravu: v 2 t. [Selected works on civil law. In 2 vols.]. Moscow: Statut; 2015. Vol. 1. (In Russ.).

7. Khazova O. Reproduktivnye prava v Rossii: predely zakonodatelnogo regulirovaniya [Reproductive rights in Russia: Limits of legislative regulation]. Konstitutsionnoe pravo: vostochnoevropeyskoe obozrenie [Constitutional Law: Eastern European Review]. 2000;4(33):15-24. (In Russ.).

8. Shelyutto ML. Deti, zachatye posle smerti roditelya: ustanovlenie proiskhozhdeniya i nasledstvennye prava [Children conceived after the death of a parent: Establishing the origin and inheritance rights]. Zhurnal zarubezhnogo zakonodatelstva i sravnitelnogo pravovedeniya [Journal of Foreign Legislation and Comparative Law]. 2016;4:91-98. (In Russ.).