News archive
From November 19 to 21, 2025, a co-creation workshop on the topic of "Informed Consent for Organoid Use" was organized by the ZLSR and held at the Klosterhotel Kreuz in Mariastein (Switzerland).
The team of Alfred Früh, Inesa Fausch, Daniel Zeyer-Iyengar, Muhamed Farizi and Tabea Weber brought together various interest groups for an intensive three-day co-creation workshop. Participants included researchers, industry partners, representatives of regulatory authorities, members of ethics committees and a patient representative. The workshop was funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) as an implementation project as part of NRP 79 "Advancing 3R - Animals, research and society".
During the workshop, stakeholders identified not only the need for improvements in general consent, but also numerous current challenges. These included the limited understanding of organoids among patients and donors and the question of whether the existing general consent adequately covers the specific uses of organoids. The workshop also discussed the impact of withdrawal of consent on ongoing research and innovation as well as complex commercialization issues.
The team is currently working on summarizing a common position in order to present concrete, practical results in a white paper.
September 29, 2025
Hannah van Kolfschooten Appointed as Member of WHO/Europe’s Technical Advisory Group on Artificial Intelligence for Health (TAG-AI)
Our visiting researcher Hannah van Kolfschooten has been appointed as a member of the inaugural Technical Advisory Group on Artificial Intelligence for Health (TAG-AI) convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe. The WHO — the world’s leading authority in global health — plays a central role in ensuring that digital health innovation serves the public good. Through the TAG-AI, WHO will guide governments and stakeholders in 53 European countries to harness AI in ways that strengthen health systems, protect human rights, and advance equity. This includes making sure that AI supports universal health coverage and does not exacerbate existing health inequalities.
Van Kolfschooten will bring her expertise in patients’ rights protection and AI to help set the strategic priorities for WHO’s work on digital transformation and AI in health. This appointment highlights Van Kolfschooten’s recognition as a leading voice in the field, contributing directly to the world’s most important health organization at the highest advisory level.
«Governing Algorithmic Bodies: Artificial Intelligence in Public Health Interventions» Guest Lecture in the Framework of the event series “Work in Progress” by Hannah van Kolfschooten PhD, on October 22, 2025
ORF Podcast on oe1 "Rights of Nature"
Design: Juliane Nagiller with the collaboration of Prof. Dr. Nils Schaks
An ORF in-house production, broadcast on Ö1 on Mai 27, 2025
In 2017, New Zealand was one of the first countries in the world to recognize the Whanganui River as a legal entity, thereby granting it rights. The Canadian Rivière Magpie and the Spanish Sallagune Mar Menor now also have "person status". More than 50 years ago, Christopher D. Stone raised the question of whether forests and rivers should be granted rights. As long as nature had no rights, we would regard it as something that had to serve us, argued the US law professor. Until now, the image of nature as a subject of rights has been anchored primarily in the indigenous world view and is in conflict with the western, anthropocentric view. A view that is being increasingly questioned in light of the climate and biodiversity crisis: What does it mean when nature is given rights? How can these be enforced? And what if rivers and forests go to court? (Source: https://sound.orf.at AI translated)
You can listen to the podcast here.
SRF program "Der Club" moderated by Barbara Lüthi on the subject "Sarco - euthanasia for all?" from Oct. 22, 2024
Participation of Prof. Dr. Bijan Fateh-Moghadam
In the coffin-like Sarco capsule, people who wish to die can kill themselves by pressing a button. Sarco has fueled the debate on euthanasia: do we need more laws - or would this jeopardize current practice? Should euthanasia be further liberalized - or would this increase the pressure on elderly people?
You can watch the German program here.
SRF program "Echo der Zeit" on "Constitution provides a good legal basis for climate protection" by Sibilla Bondolfi from Oct. 24, 2024
Statement in the program by Prof. Dr. iur. Nils Schaks
Switzerland is not doing enough to combat climate change, states the European Court of Human Rights. In his new book, journalist and historian - and initiator of the glacier initiative, Marcel Hänggi, comes to the conclusion that the Federal Constitution actually provides a good legal basis for climate protection.