Lecture 18: Ethics

Question 1

William Burke & William Hare

Answer 1

• murdered people and sold their bodies to Edinburgh Medical School for dissection
• raised public awareness of the need for bodies for medical research
• led to the Anatomy Act 1832

– is embryo destruction to make stem cell lines the same?

Question 2

What should be the moral status of the embryo?

Answer 2

‘Scientific’ - no conscious, cannot feel anything & just a ball of cells

• recognise the scientific position but embryo more than just a ball of cells
• ‘Catholic’ - potential to be a human, should have human status

Question 3

UK legislation: for embryos

Answer 3

-Human Fertilisation & Embryology Act 2008
– Regulates the creation, and use of embryos in research and IVF.
Limits research to 14 days post fertilisation or up to the primitive streak appears

• Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority (HFEA)
• -Regulate the use of human gametes and embryos both for clinical use (IVF) and research (including hESC but not limited).

Question 4

Implications to philosophical basis of UK legislation:

Answer 4

• Researchers are obliged to use, where possible, alternative to human embryos.
• Research would be limited to an agreed set of goals eg treatment of a serious condition.
• There will be some areas of research that cannot use human embryos for research.
• Research only allowed up to a certain point in development.
• There should be a formal system to regulate, control and license research.

Question 5

strategies for generating stem cells:

Answer 5

IVF, Cloning, Defined factors iPSCS

Question 6

creating embryos for research, acceptable or not?

Answer 6

• Many people may have reservations about creating embryos to make ES cells but think it is OK from surplus embryos.
• UK is unusual in allowing embryo creation for ES cell derivation.
• Is this treating embryos as instruments and against their supposed special moral status?

Question 7

New ethical challenged in stem cell research?

Answer 7

-artificial gametes?

Question 8

Principles of Bioethics

Answer 8

• beneficence (or Paternalism)
• Non-maleficence
• Autonomy
• Justice

Question 9

Who are stakeholders?

Answer 9

EVERYONE INVOLVED OR INFLUENCED

Question 10

Possible points contention:

Answer 10

• Source of cells (destroying life)
• Source of funding (who should pay?)
• autonomy or freedom (should people deny other treatment)
• respect for life
• definition of ‘life’

Question 11

wellbeing

Answer 11

safety, welfare and health of an individual or group

Question 12

autonomy

Answer 12

freedom & choice: individuals right to be free to choose and make decision

Question 13

justice (fairness)

Answer 13

is the situation fair or just for an individual or group