The International Law of Biotechnology

Human Rights, Trade, Patents, Health and the Environment

Principles of international law series

Matthias Herdegen, University of Bonn, Germany

Biotechnology is a field that inspires complex legal and ethical debates on an international scale. Taking a fresh approach to the subject, Matthias Herdegen provides a comprehensive assessment of the regulation of biotechnology processes and products from an international and comparative perspective.

‘Biotechnology will shape, together with information technology, much of the technological advances in the 21st Century. It affects all walks of life and bears potentials and risks. In international and European law, different areas of law touch upon it without much coherence. Written by a foremost expert, this book makes a most valuable contribution, expounding the interfaces of the different regulatory areas and offering a comprehensive and timely treatise on the subject.’
– Thomas Cottier, Chairman ILA Committee on the Biotechnology, UK

‘This book by Matthias Herdegen provides a unique, thoughtful and comprehensive discussion of the interaction between biotechnologies and international law. Unlike other books in the field, which tend to be confined to biomedical issues, this book covers a broad spectrum of topics, including questions related to environmental protection, risk assessment, genetically modified foods, international trade, and gene patenting. It combines theoretical reflection with the analysis of relevant international instruments and courts judgments.’
– Roberto Andorno, University of Zurich, Switzerland