LSTS Members

Contact

Sigrid Sterckx
Law Science Technology & Society (LSTS)
Building B, room 5C444
Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Pleinlaan 2
B-1050 Brussels
Belgium

Phone
secretary +32 2 629 24 60
direct +32 2 629 27 84
fax +32 2 629 26 62

Email
sigrid.sterckx@vub.ac.be

Sigrid Sterckx is a Professor of Ethics and Bioethics at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, both at the Faculty of Medicine & Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Faculty of Arts & Philosophy. She is also a Professor of Ethics associated to the Department of Philosophy & Moral Science of Ghent University. She obtained a Master of Moral Sciences (1994) and a PhD (2000) in Moral Sciences, at Ghent University. She teaches courses in Ethics, Bioethics and Medical Ethics. Sigrid Sterckx serves on several advisory committees, including the Belgian National Advisory Council on Bioethics.

Her dissertation investigated the ethical justification of patents, with a focus on the nature and strength of arguments based on natural rights, distributive justice and utilitarianism. Her publications include the book Biotechnology, Patents and Morality (Ashgate, 1997 and reworked edition in 2000), numerous book chapters and articles in international legal and (bio)ethics journals on issues including the impact of patents on access to medicines and the patentability of genes, genetic diagnostic tests and human embryonic stem cells.

Sigrid Sterckx supervises research projects on various bioethical topics: ethical aspects of end-of-life practices (particularly terminal sedation); non-utilitarian arguments regarding the (non-)permissibility of human enhancement; ethical problems relating to the commodification of human body material (focussing especially on organ transfer, biobanking and patenting of human body material); and an analysis of theories of justice with regard to the problem of climate change.

Publications

Cockbain Julian, Sterckx Sigrid (2012) Ethics and patenting in Europe. Intellectual Property Magazine, issue February, pp.19 - 20.

Sterckx Sigrid (2012) Enclosing the academic commons ? Increasing knowledge transfer or eroding academic values?. from Drunk on Capitalism. An interdisciplinary reflection on market economy, art and science., eds. Vanderbeeken, R.; Le Roy, F., Stalpaert, C. & Aerts, D., published by Springer.

Cockbain Julian, Sterckx Sigrid (2011) A sun-tanned or 3D smurf or just a list of their names: The patentability of computer programs in Europe. Journal of Intellectual Property Law & Practice, issue 4, vol.6, pp.254 - 261.

Cockbain Julian, Sterckx Sigrid (2011) Is the Enlarged Board of Appeal of the European Patent Office authorised to extend the bounds of the patentable?. International Review of Intellectual Property and Competition Law, issue 3, vol.42, pp.257 - 271.

Cockbain Julian, Sterckx Sigrid (2011) Something more is necessary ? Are genes and genetic diagnostic tests statutory subject matter for US patents?. Expert Review of Molecular Diagnostics, issue 2, vol.11, pp.149 - 158.

Dor Frank, Massey Emma, Frunza Mihaela, Johnson Rachel, Lennerling Annette, Loven Charlotte, Mamode Nizam, Pascalev Assya, Sterckx Sigrid, Van Assche Kristof, Zuidema Willij, Weimar Willem (2011) New Classification of ELPAT for Living Organ Donation. Transplantation, issue 9, vol.91, n. 9, pp.935 - 938.

Raus Kasper, Sterckx Sigrid, Mortier Freddy (2011) Continuous deep sedation at the end of life and the "natural death? hypothesis. Bioethics.

Raus Kasper, Sterckx Sigrid, Mortier Freddy (2011) Continuous deep sedation at the end of life and the natural death hypothesis. Bioethics.

Raus Kasper, Sterckx Sigrid, Mortier Freddy (2011) Is continuous sedation at the end of life an ethically preferable alternative to physician-assisted suicide?. American Journal of Bioethics, issue 6, vol.11, pp.32 - 40.

Seymour Jane, Rietjens Judith, Brown Jayne, Van Der Heide A., Sterckx Sigrid, Deliens Luc (2011) The perspectives of clinical staff and bereaved informal care-givers on the use of continuous sedation until death for cancer patients: The study protocol of the UNBIASED study. BMC Palliative Care, issue 5, vol.10.

Sterckx Sigrid, Van Assche Kristof (2011) The New Belgian Law on Biobanks: Some Comments from an Ethical Perspective. Health Care Analysis, issue 3, vol.19, pp.247 - 258, eds. A.R. Edgar, published by Springer.

Sterckx Sigrid, Worthington Gaius, Van Steirteghem A (2011) Current controversies in prenatal diagnosis: Does industry sponsorship accelerate or hinder the pace of research?. Prenatal Diagnosis, issue 3, vol.31, pp.244 - 245.

Sterckx Sigrid (2010) Dosage regime claims in the European Patent Office. European Intellectual Property Review, vol.6, pp.294 - 298.

Sterckx Sigrid (2010) Knowledge transfer from academia to industry through patenting and licensing: Rhetoric and reality. The Commodification of Academic Research: Science and the modern university, pp.44 - 64, eds. Hans Radder, published by Pittsburgh University Press.

Sterckx Sigrid (2010) Patents and access to drugs in developing countries: An ethical analysis. Health Rights, pp.297 - 314, eds. Selgelid, Michael and Pogge, Thomas, published by Ashgate.

Sterckx Sigrid, Cockbain Julian (2010) Assessing the morality of the commercial exploitation of inventions concerning uses of human embryos and the relevance of moral complicity. SCRIPTed - A Journal of Law, Technology & Society, issue 1, vol.7, pp.83 - 103.

Sterckx Sigrid, Cockbain Julian (2010) Purpose-limited pharmaceutical product claims under the revised European Patent Convention: A camouflaged attack on generic substitution?. Intellectual Property Quarterly, issue 1, vol.2010, pp.88 - 107.

Sterckx Sigrid (2009) Is the non-patentability of "essentially biological processes? under threat?. Journal of World Intellectual Property, issue 1, vol.13, pp.1 - 23.

Sterckx Sigrid (2009) Patenting and licensing of university research: Promoting innovation or undermining academic values?. Science & Engineering Ethics, issue 1, vol.17, pp.45 - 64.

Sterckx Sigrid, Cockbain Julian R.m (2009) The Patentability of Computer Programs in Europe: An Improved Interpretation of Art. 52 (2) and (3) EPC. Journal of World Intellectual Property, issue 3, vol.13, pp.366 - 402.

Sterckx Sigrid (2008) The European Patent Convention and the (non-)patentability of human embryonic stem cells ? the WARF case. Intellectual Property Quarterly, issue 4, pp.478 - 495, published by Sweet & Maxwell.

Sterckx Sigrid (2008) The WARF/Stem Cells Case before the EPO Enlarged Board of Appeal. European Intellectual Property Review, issue 12, vol.30, pp.535 - 537, published by Sweet & Maxwell.

Sterckx Sigrid (2007) Environmental ethics: The main approaches. Bioethics in Life and Environmental Sciences, pp.227 - 238, eds. Fraslin, Jean-Marc, published by Brumar Timisoara.

Sterckx Sigrid (2007) Ethical aspects of the legal regulation of biodiversity. Bioethics in Life and Environmental Sciences, pp.273 - 289, eds. Fraslin, Jean-Marc, published by Brumar Timisoara.

Sterckx Sigrid (2007) Ethics: A brief introduction. Bioethics in Life and Environmental Sciences, pp.15 - 29, eds. Fraslin, Jean-Marc, published by Brumar Timisoara.

Sterckx Sigrid (2007) Lack of access to essential drugs: a story of continuing global failure, with particular attention to the role of patents. Ethics and Law of Intellectual Property, pp.175 - 197, eds. Lenk, Christian; Andorno, Roberto & Hoppe, Nils, published by Ashgate.

Sterckx Sigrid (2007) Patents and Access to Drugs in Developing Countries: An Ethical Analysis. The Bioethics Reader ? Editors? Choice, pp.145 - 161, eds. Chadwick, Ruth; Kuhse, Helga; Schüklenk, Udo & Singer, Peter, published by Blackwell Oxford.

Sterckx Sigrid (2007) Patents and access to drugs in developing countries: An ethical analysis. from The Bioethics Reader - Editors' Choice, pp.145 - 161, eds. Chadwick, Ruth; Kuhse, Helga; Schüklenk, Udo; Singer, Peter, published by Oxford : Blackwell.

Sterckx Sigrid (2007) The WTO-TRIPs patent regime after Doha: Promises and realities. Intellectual Property and TRIPS Compliance in China - Chinese and European Perspectives, pp.195 - 211, eds. Torremans, Paul; Shan, Hailing & Erauw, Johan, published by Edward Elgar Cheltenham / Northampton (Massachusetts).

Sterckx Sigrid (2006) Biodiversity under the Law: Protection or Propertisation?. Journal International de Bioéthique/International Journal of Bioethics, issue 4, vol.17, pp.55 - 78.

Sterckx Sigrid (2006) The moral justifiability of patents. Ethical Perspectives: Journal of the European Ethics Network, issue 2, vol.13, pp.249 - 265, published by Peeters, Leuven.

Sterckx Sigrid, Macmillan Tom (2006) Taking Citizens Seriously. Journal of Agricultural & Environmental Ethics, issue 3, vol.19, pp.219 - 223.

Sterckx Sigrid (2005) Can drug patents be morally justified?. Science and Engineering Ethics, issue 1, vol.11, pp.81 - 92, published by Springer Netherlands.

Sterckx Sigrid (2005) De juridische regulering van biodiversiteit: Een ethische analyse van het spanningsveld tussen drie internationale verdragen. Ethiek van DNA tot 9/11, pp.177 - 199, eds. Braeckman, Johan; de Reuver, Bert & Vervisch, Thomas, published by Amsterdam University Press.

Sterckx Sigrid (2005) The ethics of patenting - Uneasy justifications. Death of Patents, pp.175 - 211, eds. Drahos, Peter, published by Law Text Publishers Oxford.

Sterckx Sigrid (2004) A Critique of the Utilitarian Argument for the Patent System. Philosophy in the Contemporary World, issue 2, vol.11, pp.1 - 8, published by The Society for Philosophy in the Contemporary World.

Sterckx Sigrid (2004) Een betere toegang tot essentiële geneesmiddelen? De regeling van patenten binnen de Wereldhandelsorganisatie. Noord-Zuid Cahier, issue 1, vol.29, pp.131 - 151.

Sterckx Sigrid (2004) Patents and access to essential drugs in developing countries: An ethical analysis. Developing World Bioethics, issue 1, vol.4, pp.58 - 75, published by Blackwell.

Sterckx Sigrid (2003) El patentamiento de las invenciones biotecnológicas. Selecciones de Bioética, vol.4, pp.72 - 91.

Sterckx Sigrid (2003) The lack of access to essential drugs: The nature and magnitude of the problem. Drugs and Health, vol.5, pp.1 - 8.

Sterckx Sigrid (2001) Het nieuwe patentregime en het algemeen belang: De geruisloze ontbinding van een huwelijk?. Mensenrechten in het bedrijfsleven ? Toch meer dan window-dressing, pp.61 - 74, eds. Nauwelaerts, Philip, Cassimon, Danny & Opdebeeck, Hendrik, published by Intersentia Rechtswetenschappen Antwerpen.

Sterckx Sigrid (2001) Ownership. Fighting poverty with biotechnology?, pp.23 - 27, eds. Meyer, Gitte, published by Centre for Bioethics and Risk Assessment, University of Copenhagen.

Sterckx Sigrid (2001) Some Comments on the Patentability of (parts of) living Organisms, including Genetic Material. Genetics Law Monitor, pp.7 - 11.

Sterckx Sigrid, Sterckx Sigrid (2000) Biotechnology, Patents and Morality ? Second Edition. published by Ashgate Pub Ltd Sydney.