ETHICS OF EMBRYONIC STEM CELL RESEARCH By: Elizabeth HaleLindsay Carroll Katy Technow Sophia Arrozal Katie Collins Michael Siegel Alexandra Hannah

Step 1: Identify the ethical question Is it ethical to use human embryos for research purposes because it involves the destruction of a (potential) human life? Conflicting moral values:  The duty to prevent or alleviate suffering VS  The duty to respect the value of human life

Step 1: Identify the ethical question  The aim of stem cell research is to cure diseases and relieve suffering, which is universally recognized as a good aim.  However, does it violate respect for the value of the embryo as the very beginning of a possible human life?

Step 1: Identify the ethical question Pro  Beneficence, Utilitarianism, “public good”  Communitarianism Against Nonmaleficence Autonomy Justice  What are the Consequences? Ethical Value Considerations

Step 1: Identify the ethical question  Is there a moral distinction between creating embryos for research purposes and creating them for reproductive ends?  Are researchers who use but do not derive HESCs considered complicit in the destruction of embryos?  Is it permissible to clone human embryos to harvest HESCs?

Step 2: What are the facts? What are Stem Cells and why are they important? There are two types of stem cells:  Embryonic stem cells  Somatic “adult” stem cells Stem cell research is a very controversial topic  What is the goal of stem cell research?

Four classes of Stem Cells  Totipotent  Multipotent (Adult)  Pluripotent (Embryonic)  Unipotent Step 2: What are the facts?

Sue Freeman Example: Embryonic stem cells improve vision loss due to macular degeneration Step 2: What are the facts?

Step 3: Identify the Stakeholders Stakeholder  Someone who will be affected by the decision to be made  Any entity that has a genuine interest in the pursuit or outcome of a specific goal, regardless of the role or relationship to the enterprise. Stakeholders in Stem Cell Research  Patient Health Care Facilities  Government Insurance Companies  General Public  Scientific Community  Religious Community  People with illnesses stem cells could potentially cure

Step 3: Identify the stakeholders Stem cells could potentially help people suffering from:  Alzheimer’s Disease  Parkinson’s Disease  Burns  Cancer  Type 1 Diabetes  Heart Disease  Spinal Cord Injuries  Osteoarthritis

Step 4: What are the options in the case? Alternatives to Consider Adult Stem Cells  Identified in many organs and tissues  Growth, repair, and regeneration of damaged cells in the body  74 treatable diseases Umbilical Cord Stem Cells  Collected from placenta and umbilical cord  Cells used on immune systems  About 35,000 transplants

Step 4: What are the options in the case? Alternatives to Consider Amniotic Stem Cells  Stem cells found in fluid  Detection of disease  Similar to embryonic and adult stem cells Therapeutic Cloning  Does not use fertilized egg  DNA is used  Reprograms an egg cell

Step 4: What are the options in the case? Government Funding If funds are provided:  There is an advancement in medicine and many diseases can be cured  Federal support will alienate conservative voters, anti-abortion organizations, and the hierarchy of the Catholic Church If funds are limited:  Limiting possibility to find cures for diseases  Stem cell research is forced overseas

Step 5: What should I do? Let’s Review the Facts:  The Main Ethical Issue: A human life is being destroyed  Embryonic Cells: If not used for research are just discarded as waste  We can save lives by using these otherwise discarded cells  Many Argue that adult cells can be used for the exact same benefits: This is true in some ways, yes adult cells can be used but these cells are already differentiated.

Step 5: What should I do? Blood forming stem cells can grow into mature blood cells and Brain cells do have the potential of growing into fully functioning neurons However:  Blood forming stem cells can NOT grow into neurons and vice versa  The great benefit of Embryonic Stem Cells is that they can be used for any type of cell.

Step 5: What should I do? PRO stem cell research using embryonic cells because:  Wide span options for use  Readily available, after In vitro procedure  They are otherwise discarded as waste  We believe that saving a life with a cell that would otherwise be destroyed is the best use of resources

Step 6: What justifies your choice? May cure many diseases:  Parkinson’s disease  Alzheimer’s disease  Heart Diseases  Stroke  Diabetes (Type 1) Also may cure and/or aid in:  Birth Defects  Spinal cord injuries  Repair Damaged Organs  Transplantation  Stem cells may play a major role in curing cancer

Step 6: What justifies your choice?  The benefits of stem cell research have such a great outcome that they outweigh the ethical issues  Can use Human Embryos that have been rejected by assisted reproduction technology  Can Also use Aborted Embryos  Alternative techniques that do not harm Embryos  DUTY!  Non-maleficence  Consequentialism

Step 7: How could this ethical problem have been prevented? Moral status of embryo  Does it have a status? If so, when? Can’t please everyone  Religious views (Catholic & Protestant vs. Judaism & Islam)  Duty to prevent or alleviate suffering OR duty to respect the value of human life

Step 7: How Could This Ethical Problem Have Been Prevented? Stricter legislation  2001, Bush implemented policy restricting number of stem cell lines used for research  Obama removed restriction on federal funding in Bush policy (still bands federal funding of creating new cell lines) IPS (induced pluripotent stem cells) are used instead of human embryonic stem cells  Skin cells reprogrammed into stem cells  iPS cells can make all the different cells found in the body

QUESTIONS?

References:   cell cell  research/timeline-major-events-stem-cell research/timeline-major-events-stem-cell  research/timeline-major-events-stem-cell. research/timeline-major-events-stem-cell   ://worldssense.blogspot.com/2011/04/stem-cell.html. ://worldssense.blogspot.com/2011/04/stem-cell.html  autism/#cyytZRzdSRWXMs autism/#cyytZRzdSRWXMs71.99    

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