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Introducing ELaTe

The task of the law before technology is often portrayed by EU institutions as a learning process. Indeed, the intersection of law, health, technology stands as a new field of research, where conventional academic classifications do not hold anymore, and a different kind of scholarship is needed, in order to give guidance to lawmakers, e.g., on the legitimacy of human enhancement, the suitable risk management strategies for the marketing of advanced therapies, the governance of biobanks. This kind of research—which provides the foundations of ELATe teaching activities—will be introduced to the public through this website and an intensive program of peer-reviewed open access publications, thus bringing a crucial part of the EU legislation and policies to the awareness of a broad spectrum of learners and citizens.

ELaTe analyses the interaction of law, science, technology in the light of EU politics and policies: the role of the internal market in the regulation of technological risks and, conversely, the regulatory use of technology in the assessment and management of these risks; the implications of the polycentric structure of European health law—at the intersection of several legal orders (MS, EU, CoE) and institutions— and the perspectives opened by the constitutionalization of the EU. Its basic assumption is that the interplay of health law and technological innovation at national level cannot be grasped without an in-depth understanding of the complex matrix of market regulation and fundamental rights law at European level: defective products, advanced therapies, standardization and product safety, privacy, consumer protection, responsible research and innovation (RRI). The action aims to disseminate this entirely new field of European regulation , extending the EU influence in neighbouring Partner Countries, which are more directly affected by EU regulation and policies relevant to the health sector. Beyond the latter, the Action will leverage the strong relationships of the University of Pisa with African Universities, Research Center, international Agencies (such as the U.N. Economic Commission for Africa) in the field of Biomedical Engineering to disseminate its results among African policymakers and opinion leaders, strengthening the EU influence on the health policies of many African countries.