Council of Europe Committee for Bioethics, as part of DEBRA Program, organized on 29 and 30 May 2014 in Bratislava the International Conference titled “Genetic testing for Health Purposes in Central and Eastern Europe.” Participants of the conference were experts from the fields of genetics in the countries of Central and East Europe. BiH had two representatives, one each from RS and FBiH. Doctor Nina Maric was the representative of the Clinic for Children Diseases of the University Hospital of Banja Luka Clinic Centre, who attended mentioned Conference.

Her attendance was provided on the ground of the support provided by RS Ministry of Health and Social Protection, contributing in that way to development of genetics in our country, but also contributing to BiH integration in the Europe. Basic goal of the gathering was to consider and to improve ethical and legal aspects of genetic testing in the countries which delegated representatives for participation in the conference, in accordance with relevant documents of the Council of Europe, including the Charter on Human Rights Protection and Additional Protocol on Genetic Testing in Health Purposes.

Key Recommendations:

1. To sign the Additional Protocol on Genetic Testing in Health Purposes
Bosnia and Herzegovina has signed in 2005 and has ratified in 2007 the Charter of Council of Europe on Protection of Human Rights and Dignity of Human Beings, regarding application of biology medicine and additional protocol on biomedical researches. During the meeting of the Committee for Bioethics of Council of Europe held in Strasbourg 2012, BiH was encouraged to initiate in upcoming period the procedures for signing additional protocols on the charter. One of additional protocols is Additional Protocol on Genetic Testing, and it is good frame for adoption of the law which would regulate genetic testing and prevent its misuses. That is why it is very important to sign the Protocol as soon as possible, and to begin with its implementation.

2.To establish control and regulation over genetic discoveries and genetic testing
Genetic testing is very sensitive piece in the chain of health protection, which might be easily misused, and that is why it is very important to keep it under strict control of the state, and in the hands of competent experts in this field. The example of the other countries (Czech Republic) shows that timely introduction of the control of genetic testing by the state prevents the danger of control in this field by private companies. It is necessary to adopt relevant legal acts which will define who can do genetic testing, and to define accreditation of the centers and laboratories for genetic testing. It is necessary also to define how to storage and how to protect the information provided by genetic testing, and to prevent the misuses with those information.

3. To establish the control and regulations over marketing and sales of genetic testing, and to define the conditions for international transport of biological materials.
Genetics is the field of medicine which is in very fast development and more and more companies offer the testing and advertising via internet and other media. In that way, almost everyone might send the samples in the laboratories all over the world, to check whether there is certain disease or irregularity. It seems attractive for the patients, but also for the companies which do such testing. Unfortunately, there is no care whether the life of the person who asks for such information will be significantly changed, as well as lives of their families. There is also question what will happen with biological materials, and results of medical analyzes. That is why it is important to set the control in this field, as well as regulations for the programs which advertise sales of genetic tests in the country.

4.To develop the Service of Genetic Advisory Office
Each genetic testing has to be medically reasonable and followed by timely delivered information. The doctors who recommend genetic testing are clinic experts for genetics. The recommendation is to have three genetic experts on the number of one million residents. As currently there is only one genetic expert in BiH in this field, it is necessary to educate more people in this area of medicine, in order to reach wanted and needed level.

Although genetic testing in BiH is limited on small number of diseases, the way of its organization is aligned with Council of Europe recommendations. Existence of genetic advisory office, its personnel and organization of labor, as well as centralization of genetic testing in this field of health protection are good ground, which need to be kept and improved. In order to use genetic testing in positive purposes, it is necessary to work in accordance with the law and recommendations of the experts, stated attendees of the conference in Bratislava.