The forensic use of bioinformation: ethical issues
Introduction
Fingerprinting and DNA profiling are increasingly valuable tools in the detection and prosecution of offenders. However, the collection and storage of bioinformation by the police, and access to the resulting forensic databases, raise a number of ethical issues.
The Council held a one-day Workshop in February 2006 to explore these issues. The discussions revealed that there is a lack of ethical oversight in this area, and public concern about some of the uses of bioinformation in forensic investigations. The Council formed a Working Group to examine the issues further in September 2006. Following a public consultation and meetings with a variety of stakeholders, a report with recommendations for policy makers was published on 18th September 2007. Download report
Last Updated Wed, 19 September 2007
