1. ADAM’S GIFT

2. MOM’s egg
DAD’s sperm
ZYGOTE
Image by Riedell

3. 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?
Often what drives scientific research
and decisions is pressure from society to
“fix a problem”.
So… this is a “good thing” ?
What problems can you see this creating?

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

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

6. 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?

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

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

9. Once a cell starts to differentiate, it’s choices become more limited.
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

10. Once a cell starts to differentiate, it’s choices become more limited.
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!

11. WHAT ABOUT CLONING?
Image from:
modified by Riedell

12. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
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 ?

13. Ad in People magazine June 2006

14. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
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”?

15. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
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?

16. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
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.

18. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
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 $

19. 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?

20. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
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”.

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

22. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
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?

23. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Should health insurance companies be required to pay
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
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” ?

24. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
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

25. CURRENT LAW In 2001 Congress at President Bush’s urging
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.

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

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

29. 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.
FUNDING
OTHER PLACES
OTHER COUNTRIES

30. WHERE DO YOU STAND?

31. SOUTH DAKOTA CORE SCIENCE STANDARDS
Indicator 1: Understand the nature and origin of scientific knowledge.
9-12.N Students are able to evaluate a scientific discovery to determine and describe how societal, cultural, and personal beliefs influence scientific investigations and interpretations.
Discuss how progress in science can be affected by social issues (Evaluation)

32. SOUTH DAKOTA CORE SCIENCE STANDARDS
NATURE OF SCIENCE:
Indicator 1: Understand the nature and origin of
scientific knowledge.
9-12.N Students are able to evaluate a scientific
discovery to determine and describe how societal,
cultural, and personal beliefs influence scientific
investigations and interpretations.
Discuss how progress in science can be affected
by social issues.

33. 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
PROFICIENT level:
given a scientific discovery narrative, determine and describe how societal, cultural, and personal beliefs influenced the investigation and its interpretation
BASIC level
given a scientific discovery narrative, identify the cultural and personal beliefs that influenced
the investigation