Study Guide Module 1 Ethical and Policy Issues Stem cell research and cloning http www wnd com files 2012 12 babies cloning 340x255 jpg Picture courtesy of Overview This module explores the ethics and policy issues surrounding one of the most controversial and rapidly developing technologies today Human Biotechnology specifically Stem cell research and cloning According to the National Institute of Health NIH in Exploring Bioethics 2009 Scientific breakthroughs and new biomedical technologies have brought great benefits to millions of people but they also raise difficult ethical questions about when and how they should be used What if you are faced with a complicated ethical decision involving stem cell treatment a treatment that perhaps could enhance or save the life of a loved one Could you feel comfortable about donating your eggs for the sole purpose of Stem cell research What types of information do you need to obtain to answer such questions You have all been trained in the art of the scientific method Ethical methodology or decision making is quite different Ethical inquiry uses a set of concepts and skills aimed at analyzing challenging situations and making decisions about the best course of action for society In general scientists aim to understand what is the case while ethicists aim to determine what should be the case NIH 2009 1 How did Bioethics develop and what were the early concerns Center for Genetics and Society About Bioethics Human Biotechnology http www geneticsandsociety org section php id 95 1 What were the early issues in Bioethics during the 1960s Early issues included end of life decision making organ donation and human experimentation 2 The role of bioethicists has been compromised by its increasing financial and professional ties to what The role of bioethics has been further compromised by its increasing financial and professional ties to the biotech industry 2 What are the ethical issues surrounding the stem cell debate Ethics of Stem Cell Research http plato stanford edu entries stem cells 1 The standard view of those that oppose Human Stem Cell Research is that a human being begins to exist with the emergence of what One cell zygote at fertilization 2 Why do Smith and Brogard 2003 and McMahan 2002 reject the stipulation that the early human embryo is a human being According to one view the cells that comprise the early embryo are a bundle of homogeneous cells that exist in the same membrane but do not form a human organism because the cells do not function in a coordinated way to regulate and preserve a single life 3 What are some of the capacities that are necessary for the right to Life some of the capacities that have been proposed include reasoning self awareness and agency 4 How does the article morally distinguish the creation of embryos for reproductive purposes from the creation of embryos for research and therapeutic reasons A Brief Case for the Moral Permissibility of Stem Cell Research http www scu edu ethics publications ethicalperspectives stem cell research html 1 What are the two central questions regarding the ethics of stem cell research One do embryos have any moral status In other words are embryos entities that deserve moral respect and are they owed some duty by moral agents due to their intrinsic properties or relationships with moral agents Two if embryos have some moral status what kind or degree of respect are they entitled to and what particular duties are they owed by moral agents 2 All living organisms deserve at least some minimal moral status because all living things have what a good of their own 3 According to the author it is morally wrong to try to stomp every ant he can find on the sidewalk however if they enter his house and start eating his sugar he is entitled to do what Kill them 4 According to this article Embryos are not the kind of entity that has a justifiable claim on a woman for the type pf personal investment and involvement including physical risk necessarily generated by gestation childbirth and child rearing True or false True 5 Does the author accept the argument that embryos have full and equal rights of persons because they are human No 6 According to this article it is ethically permissible for embryos to be destroyed in the course of responsible stem cell research provided they are destroyed with a sincere attitude of respect and provided they are used only with voluntary informed consent of what 3 What is the history of man s endeavor to develop use and regulate Biotechnology Stem Cell Timeline The History of a Medical Sensation by Andy Coghlan New Scientist January 30th 2014 http www geneticsandsociety org article php id 7465 1 When were the first stem cells discovered 1981 2 What Did President Bush do with regard to stem cell research in 2001 US president George W Bush limits federal funding of research on human embryonic stem cells because a human embryo is destroyed in the process But Bush does allow continued research on human embryonic stem cells lines that were created before the restrictions were announced 3 What was Shinya Yamanaka able to develop in 2006 which eliminated the need to destroy embryos His team reprograms ordinary adult cells by inserting four key genes forming induced pluripotent stem cells 4 The first trial of a therapy based on induced pluripotent stem cells to treat a form of age related blindness is set to occur when 2014 4 What are the facts that assist patients in making an informed decision with regard to stem cell treatment International Society for Stem Cell Research Patient Handbook FOLLOW THE LINK http www closerlookatstemcells org Patient ISSCRPatientHandbook pdf 1 What are stem cells Stem cells are the foundation cells for every organ and tissue in our bodies The highly specialized cells that make up these tissues originally came from an initial pool of stem cells formed shortly after fertilization 2 What is stem cell therapy Blood stem cells are currently the most frequently used stem cells for therapy For more than 50 years doctors have been using bone marrow transplants to transfer blood stem cells to patients and more advanced techniques for collecting blood stem cells are now being used to treat leukemia lymphoma and several inherited blood disorders Umbilical cord blood like bone marrow is often collected as a source of blood stem cells and in certain cases is being used as an alternative to bone marrow transplantation 3 For what diseases or
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