The thought of human body parts being chopped, sold and shipped all over the world sounds more like a sci-fi movie plot than reality. But Michele Goodwin, a professor who specializes on the law surrounding the promotion and regulation of medicine, science, and biotechnology, will reveal some disturbing facts about medical research and human experimentation during a noon lecture at West Virginia University’s College of Law Feb. 13.

Goodwin will present “Who Owns Your Body? A Conversation about Medical Research and The Body Bazaar,” as the law school’s annual John W. Fisher II Lecture in Law and Medicine. The event, which will be held in the Marlyn Lugar Courtroom, is free and open to the public.

Goodwin, a professor of law and medicine and public health at the University of Minnesota, says that patients do not often know that their bodies are being mined for “biological riches.” In her lecture, she will discuss patients’ legal rights and answer controversial questions surrounding the ownership of the human body and whether current legal frameworks are sufficient in providing relief for exploited patients.

The author and editor of several books, Goodwin has received numerous awards recognizing her contributions to the legal academy. For more details about her career and life, see: http://www.whoownsyourbody.org/m_goodwin.html.

The John W. Fisher II Lecture in Law and Medicine is made possible through the generosity of Thomas S. Clark, M.D., and Jean Clark. The Clark Family Lecture Series was established in 1998 with a $500,000 pledge to fund lectures in 10 fields of study throughout WVU.

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02/01/12

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CONTACT: Kristin Brumley. WVU College of Law
304-293-7220; kristin.brumley@mail.wvu.edu