Harmful uses of patentable neurotechnology: a new regulatory approach : Proposing a framework safeguarding human rights and social responsibility for patented applications of neuroscience

R Roland Nadler; Tade M Spranger; Ari Rotenberg; Tanya A Barretto; Julia Hansmann; Anna Hemmer; Zelma Ht Kiss; John Dw Madden; Michael J Strong; Judy Illes

doi:10.1038/s44319-024-00129-2

Harmful uses of patentable neurotechnology: a new regulatory approach : Proposing a framework safeguarding human rights and social responsibility for patented applications of neuroscience

EMBO Rep. 2024 May;25(5):2156-2161. doi: 10.1038/s44319-024-00129-2. Epub 2024 Apr 5.

Authors

R Roland Nadler^{1

2}, Tade M Spranger³, Ari Rotenberg⁴, Tanya A Barretto^#⁴, Julia Hansmann^#⁵, Anna Hemmer^#⁵, Zelma Ht Kiss^#⁶, John Dw Madden^#⁷, Michael J Strong^#⁸, Judy Illes⁴

Affiliations

¹ Peter A. Allard School of Law, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. nadler@student.ubc.ca.
² Neuroethics Canada, Division of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. nadler@student.ubc.ca.
³ Centre for the Law of Life Sciences, Rechts- und Staatswissenschaftliche Fakultät, Universität Bonn, Bonn, Germany. tadespranger@web.de.
⁴ Neuroethics Canada, Division of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
⁵ Centre for the Law of Life Sciences, Rechts- und Staatswissenschaftliche Fakultät, Universität Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
⁶ Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.
⁷ Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
⁸ Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, Canada.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

The increasing ability of neuroscience to analyse and modulate human brain functions calls for a new regulatory approach to identify and deal with potential harmful applications in the early stages of development.

MeSH terms

Human Rights* / legislation & jurisprudence
Humans
Neurosciences* / ethics
Neurosciences* / legislation & jurisprudence
Patents as Topic* / ethics
Patents as Topic* / legislation & jurisprudence
Social Responsibility*

Grants and funding

#ERN-174185/Canadian Government | CIHR | Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction (INMHA)