Epygenetic: new challenges for fundamental rights.

Abstract

Based on the work done to date by the R+D project DER 2010-14896, this article seeks to identify the new challenges posed by epigenetic for fundamental rights at international, European and national order. Epigenetics refers to the possible alterations in the expression of genes of an individual by various environmental conditions (epimutations). These are reversible and thanks to new technologies for data processing, predictable. This opens the door to better treat many diseases but it also carries risks on some fundamental rights (right to privacy and genetic determination, the right to non-discrimination) because heritable epigenetic changes in the structure and organization of DNA affect information concerning not only to a specific individual but also to others (family, community or group associated with environmental conditions that cause a certain epimutation). International law on the issue is almost nonexistent. At European level, apart from a few Recommendations of the Council of Europe, the Directive 95/46/EC and the draft EP and the Council Regulation on the protection of personal data, still in process, do not give an adequate response to these challenges. That inadequate European regulation is particularly problematic considering threats to fundamental rights in the field of private law relations (labor relations, insurance contracts of life and health) due to advances in computer processing of information in large epigenetic databases. The proposed research should be conducted, from an international and comparative approach to Law, combining an empirical-inductive method with another logical-deductive, and articulated through various methodological techniques. The general objective pursuid is to provide a legal basis from a multidisciplinary, cross-cutting and integrated approach that allows establish a common legal framework in Europe facing the new challenges posed by epigenetic to protection of fundamental rights.