Medical Law, Ethics and Humanitarian Medicine (DMMH)

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Presentation

Mission

The unit of medical law, ethics and humanitarian medicine carries out several core missions.

First, it is responsible for teaching and research in medical law, ethics and humanitarian medicine. In collaboration with the Institute of Ethics, History and Humanities, it coordinates the teaching of forensic medicine and ethics at the Bachelor and Master levels of the Faculty of Medicine, including courses in medical law and humanitarian law.

The unit also contributes to teaching on the ethical and legal issues surrounding biobanks at the Faculty of Law of the University of Geneva, and oversees the CURML’s continuing education programs.

Its research activities focus on medical law, ethics, humanitarian medicine, human rights in places of detention, forensic medicine and forensic sciences.

Secondly, the unit plays a key role in delivering legal support to the Management and to all experts and staff members of the CURML. It oversees contracts related to research projects, scientific services, expert assessments, and sponsorship agreements, and manages complaints arising within judicial proceedings. In addition, it represents the CURML Management in its external partnerships.

The unit is also responsible for providing legal training to CURML experts.

Finally, it contributes to the development of the Centre’s humanitarian mission through international cooperation projects in the field of forensic medicine.

Team

Head of Unit: Aurélie Martin-Achard, lawyer, holder of the bar exam (email: aurelie.martin-achard@chuv.ch / aurelie.martin-achard@hug.ch);
Operational Head of the Academic Teaching and Research Section: Prof. Bernice Elger, Full Professor (Tel: +41 22 379 56 00 ; Email: Bernice.Elger@unige.ch).

General information

Several medical law topics are presented in the following publications:

Legal Foundations for the Physician’s Daily Practice (ASSM and FMH)
Health Law and Forensic Medicine

The directives of the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences are available on their website. The regulation on scientific integrity, published by the Swiss Academies, is also available on the same site.