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Stem Cells: Ethical Considerations

Stem Cells: Ethical Considerations. David Orentlicher, MD, JD Indiana Schools of Law and Medicine March 25, 2009. What are stem cells?. Original Cell (totipotent) Embryonic Stem Cells (pluripotent) ? Induced pluripotential stem cells Adult Stem Cells (multipotent)

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Stem Cells: Ethical Considerations

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  1. Stem Cells:Ethical Considerations David Orentlicher, MD, JD Indiana Schools of Law and Medicine March 25, 2009

  2. What are stem cells? • Original Cell (totipotent) • Embryonic Stem Cells (pluripotent) • ? Induced pluripotential stem cells • Adult Stem Cells (multipotent) • Adult Cells (highly specialized)

  3. Why are stem cells important? • May be able to treat a wide range of diseases involving the loss of normal cellular function (e.g., people with heart attacks, Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injury, or cirrhosis of the liver). • Potentially unlimited supply of replacement cells

  4. Why are stem cells controversial? • Taking stem cells from embryos destroys the embryos • If the embryo is a person at conception, taking stem cells is akin to removing a heart from someone while still alive for transplantation • Destroying embryos erodes the sanctity of life

  5. The response to stem cell critics • Rather than viewing embryos as persons, we should view them as having the potential for becoming persons • The embryos are sitting in a laboratory freezer, not in a woman’s body—left alone, the embryos do not become people • How should we punish someone who destroys frozen embryos?

  6. The response to stem cell critics • Destroying embryos for no purpose may erode societal respect for life • But stem cells are taken to heal disease and prolong life

  7. Responding to uncertainty • If we are uncertain about the embryo’s moral status and the medical promise of stem cells, how does that affect the analysis (i.e., who bears the burden of proof)? • Err in favor of treating illness in living persons? (human vs. potential human) • Err in favor of not destroying a potential for life? (adult stem cells may be sufficient)

  8. Responding to uncertainty • Even if it is wrong to destroy an embryo because of its potential for life, what of embryos that are destined for destruction? • In the UK, unclaimed embryos are routinely discarded—taking stem cells from these embryos does not shorten the lifespan of the embryos

  9. Presidential policy • Bush: federal funding for existing stem cell lines that were derived: (1) with the informed consent of the donors; (2) from excess embryos created solely for reproductive purposes; and (3) without any financial inducements to the donors • Obama: federal funding for “responsible, scientifically worthy human stem cell research, including human embryonic stem cell research, to the extent permitted by law.” • Current law prohibits federal funding to create new cell lines

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