The avoidance of stigmatization on genetic grounds: legal aspect

The avoidance of stigmatization of an individual, family, group or community is a key starting point in the collection and use of human genetic data, but the legal framework for the implementation of this principle has not yet yielded much scientific understanding and legislative development in Russia. Purpose: to analyze the preconditions, essence and consequences of social stigmatization on genetic grounds; to establish the relationship between «stigmatization» and «discrimination»; to define the main directions for the development of national legislation with a view to counteracting such stigmatization. Methods: the author uses general theoretical methods of formal and dialectical logic and such special scientific methods as legal-dogmatic, legal modeling, comparative legal. Results: the main factors leading to an increased risk of social stigmatization based on genetic characteristics are identified; arguments are given in favor of postulating the detriment of such «stigma»; the rationality of the «limited» regularization of the corresponding block of relations is proved by, first of all, establishing a norm-principle on the prevention of stigmatization on genetic grounds (which implies legal redefinition of stigma, independent of the definition of discrimination) and the development of rules on the proper operation of the principles of consent and confidentiality.