Bioethics & the law of the future

Sascha Callaghan is a researcher, policy advisor and writer in health law and bioethics. Her research covers a variety of issues in law and the body, with a particular focus on human rights in health care, privacy, personhood and choice. Alongside her research and advisory work, Sascha is a regular contributor to media discussions in print, television, radio and online, including in the Sydney Morning Herald, the Guardian, SBS, ABC Radio, ABC News, and Channel 9’s the Project. Her current interests are in Covid policy, infectious diseases management and reproductive rights.

Themes

DATA PRIVACY

How is data privacy regulated in Australia? How can we ensure the ethical development of the internet? What does the community want from law makers, service providers and innovators both in terms of protection and freedom from interference? How do we provide the right level of security while retaining the vigour and potential of the worldwide web?

MENTAL HEALTH

Access to mental health services, and the right to refuse unwanted intrusions into private spaces are just some of the difficult challenges for mental health policy makers. How do we best deliver recovery oriented practice in Australia’s complex and diverse mental health system?

REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGIES, PREGNANCY & BIRTH

How does the law protect a fetus in utero? How does the law protect a woman who wishes to end a pregnancy? How much can you design your baby? Who owns sperm and ova, and who is allowed to use them?

DRUGS & ALCOHOL

The NSW government is revisiting Sydney’s lock-out laws and asking once again - is health and safety more important than the right to have fun? What role should the criminal law play in drug and alcohol policy? What are the medical, psychological and social aspects of addiction and how should we deal with drug and alcohol dependency?

MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Research into applications of medicinal cannabinoids is proceeding apace. Scientists are now using cannabinoid therapeutics to target a range of conditions including paediatric epilepsy, cancer, chronic pain, obesity, neurological, and mental health disorders. How far away are we from safe and effective cannabinoid treatments in mainstream medicine in Australia? And what does this mean for recreational and other uses of marijuana-derived products?

DEATH

How much control do we have over our deaths? How does the law protect our rights at the end of life? What is the process after we die, and who controls what happens to the valuable tissues we leave behind?