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Abstract

This article explores the challenges medical travel poses for the development and implementation of health regulation in Asia. Cross-border reproductive travel in Asia is used to exemplify some of the ethical, legal and regulatory complexities such travel poses. A number of countries in the region lack regulatory frameworks regarding controversial procedures such as preimplantation genetic diagnosis for sex selection, commercial donor and surrogacy procedures to ensure protections for donors and surrogates or children born of such procedures. The particular challenge of reproductive travel arises when people travel for services because they wish to undertake a treatment requiring the embodied services or biological materials of other people in ways that are not legal or considered unethical in their home country. The final part of the article examines prospects for a global response towards the regulation of such trade. Such a response will require cooperation across sectors, international government organizations, state, and non-state actors to deal with the transnational interdependence it involves and to protect the rights of vulnerable groups. The challenge is to determine the mechanisms for regulating the trade, as well as the basis upon which global regulation is undertaken.

Problématique du voyage médical au regard de la réglementation internationale: Etude de cas sur le tourisme reproductif en Asie

Le présent article explore les défis posés par le voyage médical en termes d’élaboration et d’application de la réglementation de la santé en Asie. L’exemple du tourisme reproductif transfrontalier dans cette région est utilisé pour illustrer la complexité que ce type de voyage revêt sur le plan éthique, légal et réglementaire. Dans un certain nombre de pays asiatiques, des procédures controversées telles que le diagnostic génétique préimplantatoire pour la sélection du sexe, la vente d’organes et la maternité de substitution ne sont régies par aucun cadre juridique garantissant la protection non seulement des donneurs et des mères porteuses, mais aussi des enfants nés de ce type de procédure. Le défi propre au tourisme reproductif se pose lorsque le voyage est motivé par la recherche d’un traitement nécessitant l’utilisation du corps ou de matériel biologique d’autrui à des fins qui seraient illégales ou considérées comme non éthiques dans le pays d’origine. La dernière partie de l’article examine les options à envisager pour trouver une réponse visant une réglementation de ce commerce à l’échelle internationale. Une telle réponse nécessitera une coopération entre les différents secteurs, les organisations gouvernementales internationales, les Etats et des acteurs non étatiques pour gérer l’interdépendance transnationale qu’elle implique et protéger les droits des populations vulnérables. Le défi consiste à déterminer quels mécanismes permettront de réglementer ce commerce et sur quelles bases la réglementation internationale reposera.

Retos del viaje de carácter médico para la regulación global: Un caso práctico de viaje reproductivo en Asia

Este artículo examina los retos que el viaje de carácter médico plantea para el desarrollo y la implementación de reglamentos de salud en Asia. El viaje reproductivo transfronterizo en Asia se utiliza para ejemplificar algunas de las complejidades regulatorias, legales y éticas que tal viaje plantea. Varios países de la región carecen de marcos regulatorios en cuanto a procedimientos controvertidos tales como el diagnóstico genético de pre-implantación para la selección del sexo, el donante comercial y los procedimientos de vientres de alquiler, para asegurar la protección de los donantes y madres de alquiler o para los niños nacidos por de esos procedimientos. El particular cambio del viaje reproductivo surge cuando las personas viajan porque desean someterse a un tratamiento que requiere de servicios incorporados o materiales biológicos de otras personas y que se consiguen de manera ilegal, o se considera inmoral en sus países natales. La parte final de este artículo examina las expectativas de obtener una respuesta global hacia la regulación de tal mercado. Tal respuesta requerirá la cooperación a través de los sectores, organizaciones gubernamentales internacionales, actores estatales y no estatales para así tratar la interdependencia transnacional que implica y para proteger los derechos de los grupos vulnerables. El reto consiste en determinar los mecanismos que regulan el mercado así como las bases sobre las cuales se lleva a cabo la regulación global.

Keywords

medical regulation medical travel reproductive health reproductive travel

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Challenges of medical travel to global regulation: A case study of reproductive travel in Asia

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