Bioethics Bethune Cookman University Ethics Prof. Rodriguez

Challenges of Bioethics A new area of scientific exploration Offers great potential Offers great challenges ought not play God learn to be men not play GodMen ought not learn to play God before they learn to be men, and after they have learned to be men they will not play God. [emphasis mine] (Paul Ramsey)

Introduction Johan Gregor Mendel ( ) Father of Genetics

Introduction James Watson & Francis Crick Discovery of Double Helix (DNA) 1953

Introduction Human Genome Project ( ) Identified 20-25,000 genes in human DNA

Reproductive Technologies Example 1: Potential & Challenge: Reproductive Technologies Potential: Assist infertile couples in having children Address causes of infertility Challenges: Commodification of life Legal issues/problems Racism Economic inequality Abuse Confusion family roles (traditional family) Ethical concerns: scarce med. resources, selfish motives, eugenics

Face transplants Example 2: Potential & Challenge: Face transplants Potential: Assisting severely injured persons Addressing psychological concerns Giving people a chance at a normal life Challenges: Donor concerns Family concerns Legal concerns “Yuck” factor

Example 3: Potential & Challenge: Stem Cell Research Importance:  ‘Blank cells’ (unspecialized)  Capable of dividing and renewing themselves for long periods of time (proliferation and renewal)  Have the potential to give rise to specialized cell types (differentiation)

Stem Cell Research

Ethical Debate: Normal Sexual Reproduction:

Stem Cell Research

Two important cells: Pluripotent cells- cells from which any body organ can develop Multipotent cells- cells from which limited or specific types of organs can develop

Stem CELL RESEARCH

Stem Cell Research Ethical Debate: 1)Destruction of human embryos 2)Creation of chimeras (animals with human cells and organs 3)Destruction of frozen embryos not being used

Sheep-Goat Chimera

Para-Human Chimera: Artists Conception (Patricia Piccinini)

Stem Cell Research Ethical Guidelines: 1)Do not let chimeraic animals mate (could lead to conceiving a human being) 2)Do not allow human stem cells to become a part of animal’s brain or injected into other primates 3)Embryos should not be allowed to develop more than 14 days

Example 4: Potential & Challenge: Human Cloning Two types of cloning: A) Therapeutic: Cloning for medical purposes. Cloning tissues. Allowed and legal in U.S. B) Reproductive: Cloning to create a duplicate human being. Condemned and illegal in the U.S.

Human Cloning Moral dilemma: Cloning is asexual reproduction

Human Cloning Dolly the sheep ( )

Human Cloning

Ethical Issues: 1)Cloning human beings 2)Playing God 3)Moral and legal status of clones 4)Abnormalities in perfecting the procedure 5)Aesthetic concerns (moral revulsion, abomination, “yuck factor”)

Example 5: Potential & Challenge: Genetic Engineering Benefits: Address genetic abnormalities Cure diseases Tailor medicine and diet to specific individual needs Locate genes that cause various diseases, conditions and traits

Genetic Engineering Ethical Concerns: Designer babies and Eugenics Gene Therapy may undermine free will and autonomy (turning off certain genes that determine behavior; “religious gene” or “gay gene”) Experimentation: (1) Are desperate individuals giving their true consent? (2) Abuse Upsetting the balance in nature

Genetic Modification of Food Genetic modification of plants and vegetables:

Genetic Modification of Food Genetic manipulation of animals

Genetic Manipulation of Food Ethical Concerns: Weighing benefits & risks: –Benefits: Longer healthier lives –Risks: Unknown risks Interfering with nature Animals can be modified to include pharmaceuticals in their milk Genetic manipulation in order to harvest organs (pigs and heart valves) Cloned animals in food supply

Example 6: Potential & Challenge: Xenotransplantation Pros: Ameliorates organ shortage Replacement of the heart, lungs, liver, & kidneys Biochemical profile of pigs & human are similar Genetic similarities with primates Cons: Animals are GE Animals destroyed for harvesting Rejection of organs by human immune system as foreign Retro viruses Viral infections Human must refrain from procreating

Similarities between human & porcine organs

Organ harvesting

Example 7: Potential & Challenge: Genetic Screening

Genetic Screening Ethical Concerns: Privacy –People have a right to privacy Public access to records –Who should have access to your personal medical records? –Data Banks Conflicts of Interest (Employment, Insurance) Genetic Discrimination –Discriminating people based on condition and predisposition –Genetic Profiling