Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic
Ethics Committee
Exhibition: Body-THE-EXHIBITION
Adopted on 30 October 2017
Currently on the territory of Bratislava in the premises of the exhibition complex Incheba Expo is performing an exhibition called "BODY-THE-EXHIBITION" This exhibition provoked a broad public debate, but also citizens' input. Upon request Minister of Health SR Ethical Commission of the Ministry of Health SR (hereinafter "the Commission') delivered an opinion on the ethical issues of the exhibition.
The Commission is aware that an advanced democratic society needs a pluralistic look at the problems related to interpretation and evaluation of the results of modern biology and medicine. The Commission is also aware of the different views of national authorities and EU country bioethics experts on issues related to the exhibition in question.
The Commission's assessment is based on the need for wide guarantees of freedom the expression, the right to information and other related fundamental rights. On the other hand However, it also recognises the need to find appropriate limits for restrictions those rights, if their application threatens human dignity or fundamental the rights and freedoms of others.
Based on the above assumptions, the Commission therefore expresses a number of ethical Objections to the exhibition "Body-THE-EXHIBITION":
1. A fundamental ethical problem associated with Exhibition of "Body-THE-EXHIBITION" is a question of origin plasticised human bodies. So far, the suspicions that human bodies and their parts, used as exhibits at the exhibition, obtained in violation of human rights; and fundamental ethical principles such as human dignity and autonomy. In particular, it is the free informed consent of individual body donors for the purposes of their postmortem exposure. Interest of the company in transparent information on the origin of plasticised human bodies is higher than the protection of business secrets. Origin and ethical conditions for obtaining plasticised human bodies presented at the exhibition, it is necessary to document transparently to the public.
2. Exhibition "Body-THE-EXHIBITION" is an event with a wide publicity that inspires the interest of the people of different ages categories. However, due to psychological vulnerability, the exhibition is not equally appropriate for all age groups. Especially in case of a visit to the exhibition by minors people can have a traumatic effect on their psychological development.
3. The pursuit of financial benefit from the presentation human body at the exhibition is unethical. Prohibition of profit from the use of the human body became one of the main principles of international conventions in the field of bioethics (Article 21 of the 1997 Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine). Although this the principle often fails to enforce in practice is one of the main pillars of the concept human dignity and respect for the dead human body. Exhibition "Body-THE2" EXHIBITION arrangements are declared public education and not mentioned financial the benefit of its organisers.
4. Cultural and historical tradition in our country has always led to a deep respect for the dead body of the deceased. The Commission considers the way in which several plasticised human bodies are presented on The exhibition "BODY-THE-EXHIBITION" for at least ethically contradictory and disrespectful. The question arises as to whether it is rather an attempt to impress and take action at all costs. Visitors to the exhibition, not on professional or scientifically sound presentation of anatomy human body for educational purposes.
In view of the above, the Commission expects that the public authorities will act on the exhibition within the meaning of the applicable law Regulations. The Commission also recommends analysing the possibility of regulatory changes, which would more accurately regulate relations with the human body in similar cases.