ADAM’S GIFT

MOM’s eggDAD’s sperm ZYGOTE Image by Riedell

WHAT WOULD YOU DO? If you were in Molly’s parents’ shoes and were told your child was going to die, would you ask the doctor’s to do what ever it takes to save your baby? So… this is a “good thing” ? Often what drives scientific research and decisions is pressure from society to “fix a problem”. What problems can you see this creating?

WHAT ABOUT THE REST? Some would view these as “human beings” and destroying them as murder. So what do we do with them? Image by Riedell

WHAT HAPPENS NOW: Freeze them and save them 1. _____________________ 2. _____________________ 3. ___________________________ Destroy them Donate them for stem cell research Image by Riedell

Right now advances in technology are happening so fast, our legal system has not caught up. As future citizens making the decisions, what new laws do we need? Who should decide? Should we use some technologies and NOT others? Who’s going to pay?

WHAT ARE STEM CELLS ? Stem cells have the ability to change into ____________ of cells with ________________ different kinds different functions

WHERE DO STEM CELLS COME FROM ? The ______ and more mature a cell is the _________________it has to become. older fewer “choices ”

Once a cell starts to differentiate, it’s choices become more limited. A blood cell can’t go back and become a nerve cell. That’s why embryonic stem cells are so important… they still have the ability to _____________! become anything

Once a cell starts to differentiate, it’s choices become more limited. A blood cell can’t go back and become a nerve cell. That’s why embryonic stem cells are so important… they still have the ability to become anything!

WHAT ABOUT CLONING? Image from: modified by Riedell

?????????????????? DO YOU OWN YOUR OWN DNA? Should you be able to save your own or your child’s cord blood to be used to fix problems later on ? If it’s your DNA, why can’t you clone yourself to get stem cells to grow new tissues or body organs you need due to accident or disease ?

Ad in People magazine June 2006

?????????????????? DO YOU OWN YOUR OWN DNA? Can someone clone you without your permission? Can you advertise and sell your DNA on Ebay? What about the frozen embryos? Are they “property” or “people”?

?????????????????? ACTUAL SCENARIO #1: Human error OR power outage at embryo bank results in embryos thawing out. Should those responsible be charged with damage to property? Or is it murder? Is there a difference in how the embryo company would view this situation compared to how the would-be parents would view it?

?????????????????? ACTUAL SCENARIO #2: Mom and Dad have a child using in vitro fertilization and freeze extra embryos for later. Mom and dad divorce. Dad wants Embryo bank to implant frozen embryos in new wife. Dad says, “It’s my embryo.” First wife says, “No way!” Should embryos be treated as property or as children ? Who gets custody in a divorce ? Actual result: Judge ruled embryos should be divided up between the parents.

?????????????????? ACTUAL SCENARIO #:3 Mom and Dad have several children using in vitro fertilization and freeze extra embryos for later. Mom and dad are both killed in a plane crash. Dad’s sister claims custody and wants Embryo bank to implant one of frozen embryos in her. Mom and Dad’s kids says, “No way!” Wrinkle: Mom and Dad who died were millionaires and their will says their offspring split the estate... so embryo born to aunt would get a share of $. Actual result: Judge ruled aunt did NOT get embryos. Kids already born split the $

PROBLEMS ? ACTUAL SCENARIO #:3 continued What if you were one of the frozen embryos and if someone thawed you out and grew you into a baby, you stood to inherit $1 million. Would you want to be thawed ? Will we need lawyers to represent the embryo’s rights?

?????????????????? ACTUAL SCENARIO #4: Mom and Dad have a child using in vitro fertilization. Child grows up, walks, talks, has birthday parties, goes to kindergarten, etc…. KNOCK ON DOOR… Embryo bank says there was a mistake, they got the wrong embryo and the “biological parents” want their baby back. Who are the “real parents” ? Who is responsible? Current precedent says “biological parents’ rights” supersede the birth parents rights. Actual result: Judge ruled child should live with “biological parents”.

Should people be able to choose the genetic qualities they want their baby to have?

?????????????????? Should we only be able to “fix” genetic disorders like Molly’s? OR can we choose ANY qualities we want? Smart? Pretty? Athletic? Who gets to decide which qualities are the “good” ones? Can I choose a male baby who will be 8 feet tall, so he can play in the NBA and support me with the $ millions he will make?

?????????????????? Should health insurance companies be required to pay for all this new technology? If we CAN do it, people are going to push to have it covered. What about people who don’t have insurance? Will the government (that’s YOU as a taxpayer) pay for poor people to use this technology or will only rich people be able to fix genetic problems or pick the “perfect child” ?

?????????????????? Will people’s choices change what the population of humans on this planet look like in 100 years? What about cultural differences? Ex; Female babies born in China

CURRENT LAW In 2001 Congress at President Bush’s urging banned federal dollars for stem cell research beyond existing cell lines, although scientists can use certain stem cell lines already created and private groups have paid for some new research.

Polls show 70% of Americans support lifting the ban on funding for stem cell research and... WHY CHANGE NOW ? Often what drives scientific research and decisions is pressure from society and elections are coming

WHY CHANGE NOW ? Congress has already passed legislation lifting the ban twice which the President has vetoed. But a new president is coming in !

THE DEBATE IS NOT OVER EVEN IF BAN IS NOT LIFTED... _________ can still come from _____________: Californians have pledged $3 billion to fund stem cell research. ___________________ are NOT under this law’s jurisdiction so research continues elsewhere in world. OTHER COUNTRIES OTHER PLACESFUNDING

WHERE DO YOU STAND?

Core High School Nature of Science Performance Descriptors High school students performing at the ADVANCED level: given a scientific discovery narrative, determine and describe how societal, cultural, and personal beliefs influenced the investigation and its interpretation High school students performing at the PROFICIENT level: given a scientific discovery narrative, determine and describe how societal, cultural, and personal beliefs influenced the investigation and its interpretation High school students performing at the BASIC level given a scientific discovery narrative, identify the cultural and personal beliefs that influenced the investigation