Breves considerações acerca do controle jurisdicional de políticas públicas em face do direito fundamental ao meio ambiente ecologicamente equilibrado / hort comments on the jurisdictional control of public policies in the face of the fundamental right to a balanced environment

O presente artigo tem por objetivo realizar um breve comento sobre o Recurso Especial n. 1.367.549 – MG (2011/0132513-5), julgado pelo Superior Tribunal de Justiça, que analisa a possibilidade da utilização do controle judicial de políticas públicas em face de falta de prestações positivas por parte da Administração Pública na área ambiental. Dessa forma, o artigo apresenta um resumo comentado da decisão e traça algumas considerações sobre as políticas públicas municipais. Além disso, discute a possibilidade do uso do controle judicial de políticas públicas em face de direitos fundamentais e, por fim, o papel do Ministério Público no controle social de políticas públicas.

This article aims to make a brief commentary about the appeal 1367549 MG 2011/0132513-5, judged by the Brazilian Superior Court of Justice, which examines the possibility of using the judicial review of public policies in the face of a lack of positive benefits in the public administration in the environmental field. Thus, the article presents a summary of the judgment and some considerations on municipal public policies. In addition, it conducts a discussion about the possibility of using the judicial review of public policies in the face of fundamental rights and, finally, analyzes the role of the Brazilian Federal Prosecutor.

Notas sobre bioprospección y sus interacciones con los seres humanos / Notes on bioprospecting and their interactions with humans

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Bio-patents, development and socity: on thepatentability of human genes

Este estudio versa sobre la posibilidad de patentar las invenciones basadas en los genes humanos y sobre la necesidad de una efectiva adaptación del sistema de la Ley de Patentes que permita patentar material derivado de genes humanos. Además, para permitir la inclusión de invenciones basada en genes humanos en el actual sistema de patentes, se requiere un mayor número de modificaciones de las que ya se han convertido en norma durante y desde el siglo XX. Cabe destacar que una de las principales características de la Ley de Patentes es la variabilidad que requiere que la ley responda constantemente a las necesidades económicas, a los avances en la ciencia y a sus desafíos resultantes con el fin de proteger el producto del ingenio humano. Por lo tanto, se requieren nuevas adaptaciones. En este contexto, el presente artículo se basa en que los genes humanos pueden servir de base para las invenciones patentables, siempre que los requisitos tradicionales de novedad, actividad inventiva, utilidad y adecuación descriptiva se adapten a la naturaleza específica de la materia viva humana. Asimismo, deben estar en consonancia con los principios de legalidad y moralidad y no infringir la dignidad humana, los derechos de la personalidad y deben cumplir sus funciones sociales y ambientales. Por lo tanto, una biopatente tiene una triple función: económica, social y ambiental. La función económica consistente en el derecho exclusivo de explotación de una invención, la función social está implícita porque no hay ninguna razón para la existencia de una patente que únicamente beneficie a su propietario sin que la sociedad también disfrute de sus beneficios y, la función ambiental es la que garantiza que una biopatente debe preservar la biodiversidad y la diversidad social (AU)

This study discusses the possibility of patenting inventions base don human genes and the need for an effective adaptation of the Patent. Law system to enable the patenting of material derived from human genes. Furthermore, to allow for the inclusion of human gene-based inventions in the current, patent system, many more amendments are required than those that have already become law during and since the twentieth century. It should be emphasized that one of the main characteristics of Patent Law is this changeability that requires the law to constantly respond to economic needs, advances in science and their resulting challenges in order to protect the product of human ingenuity. Therefore, new adaptations are required. In this context, the present paper adopts the understanding that human genes may serve as a basis for patentable inventions provided that the traditional requirements of novelty, inventiveness, utility and descriptive adequacy are adapted to the specific nature of living human matter. They should also be in line with the principles of legality and morality and not infringe human dignity, personality rights and should fulfill their social and environmental functions Therefore, a bio-patent has a threefold function: economic, social and environmental. The economic function lies in the exclusive right to exploit an invention; the social function is implicit because there is no reason for the existence of a patent that solely benefits its owner without society also enjoying its benefits and; the environmental function is that which guarantees that a bio-patent should preserve biodiversity and social diversity (AU)

Bio-patents, development and society: on the patentability of human genes.

This study discusses the possibility of patenting inventions based on human genes and the need for an effective adaptation of the Patent Law system to enable the patenting of material derived from human genes. Furthermore, to allow for the inclusion of human gene-based inventions in the current patent system, many more amendments are required than those that have already become law during and since the twentieth century. It should be emphasized that one of the main characteristics of Patent Law is this changeability that requires the law to constantly respond to economic needs, advances in science and their resulting challenges in order to protect the product of human ingenuity. Therefore, new adaptations are required. In this context, the present paper adopts the understanding that human genes may serve as a basis for patentable inventions provided that the traditional requirements of novelty, inventiveness, utility and descriptive adequacy are adapted to the specific nature of living human matter. They should also be in line with the principles of legality and morality and not infringe human dignity, personality rights and should fulfill their social and environmental functions. Therefore, a bio-patent has a threefold function: economic, social and environmental. The economic function lies in the exclusive right to exploit an invention; the social function is implicit because there is no reason for the existence of a patent that solely benefits, its owner without society also enjoying its benefits and; the environmental function is that which guarantees that a bio-patent should preserve biodiversity and social diversity.

Bioethics, Biolaw, (Bio) Constitutional interpretation and Biopatents under the light of Brazilian Law

El artículo analiza brevemente los conceptos de Bioética, Bioderecho, Bio-Constitución y Biopatentes. Con este fin, verifica algunos principios de la Bioética, la aparición del Término Bioderecho, el concepto de Bio-Constitución o Bioderecho Constitucional como medio para resolver los conflictos de normas bio-jurídicas. Además formula algunas preguntas sobre biopatentes. Se entiende aquí que el principio fundamental para ser utilizado en cualquier asunto de la Biomedicina es la dignidad del ser humano y que la Constitución Federal de Brasil adelanta otras herramientas para una interpretación bio-constitucional. Entre estas herramientas destacan los derechos fundamentales y la protección del medio ambiente. Asimismo, se discuten algunos límites jurídicos de la apropiación privada del genoma humano, impuestos por leyes nacionales e internacionales como la Declaración Universal sobre el Genoma Humano y los Derechos Humanos. El artículo presenta los requisitos impuesto por la Ley Nº 9279/96 (novedad, invención y uso industrial) así como las disposiciones de la Constitución Brasileña sobre biopatentes. En la conclusión se sostiene que los fundamentos de la Bioética y del Bioderecho son instrumentos valiosos para ayudar en la toma de decisiones jurídicas y para orientar en el establecimiento de posibles límites en la utilización y/o desarrollo de la Biomedicina. En consecuencia, para interpretar un caso concreto, además de un análisis multidisciplinar, tenernos que traer a los conceptos jurídicos clásicos. Esto puede lograrse con la reformulación de los fundamentos jurídicos, lo que abre espacio para la conceptualización del concepto de Bio-Constitución

The article briefly analyzes the concepts of the Bioethics, the Biolaw, the BioConstitution and The Biopatent. In order to do so, we will check some principles of the Bioethics, the newly added term the Biolaw, the concept of the Bio-Constitution or the Constitutional Biolaw, all used as means to solve conflicts of bio-juridical norms. Besides it formulates some questions about biopatents. It is here understood that the 1988 Brazilian Federal Constitution chose the human dignity principle as the core to be used in any Biomedicine related matter and this Law acts to bring some tools into a bio-constitutional interpretation. Among those tools are the fundamental rights and the protection of the environment. Some juridical limits to the private appropriation of the human genome, via patenting, are examine. The article considers the requirements imposed by the Law Act nº 9279/96 (novelty, invention and industrial use), as well as some Brazilian constitutional dispositions concerning biopatents. In the conclusion, we argue that the Bioethics and the Biolaw principles are valuable instruments to support juridical decisions and to guide the establishment of possible limits on the use and/or development of the Biomedicine. Consequently when interpreting a concrete case, besides having a multidisciplinary analysis, we have refreshed classic juridical concepts. This is achieved by rethinking juridical fundamentals and opening up the space for the conceptualization of a Bio-Constitution interpretation

Bioethics, biolaw, (bio)constitutional interpretation and biopatents under the light of Brazilian law.

The article briefly analyzes the concepts of the Bioethics, the Biolaw, the Bio-Constitution and the Biopatent. In order to do so, we will check some principles of the Bioethics, the newly added term the Biolaw, the concept of the Bio-Constitution or the Constitutional Biolaw, all used as means to solve conflicts of bio-juridical norms. Besides it formulates some questions about biopatents. It is here understood that the 1988 Brazilian Federal Constitution chose the human dignity principle as the core to be used in any Biomedicine related matter and this Law acts to bring some tools into a bio-constitutional interpretation. Among those tools are the fundamental rights and the protection of the environment. Some juridical limits to the private appropriation of the human genome, via patenting, are examined. The article considers the requirements imposed by the Law Act no 9279/96 (novelty, invention and industrial use), as well as some Brazilian constitutional dispositions concerning biopatents. In the conclusion, we argue that the Bioethics and the Biolaw principles are valuable instruments to support juridical decisions and to guide the establishment of possible limits on the use and/or development of the Biomedicine. Consequently when interpreting a concrete case, besides having a multidisciplinary analysis, we have refreshed classic juridical concepts. This is achieved by rethinking juridical fundamentals and opening up the space for the conceptualization of a Bio-Constitution interpretation.