75 - Ethical Considerations

Abstract

Human embryonic stem (hES) cell research is ethically controversial because it entails the destruction of human embryos. This chapter presents a series of key ethical questions associated with this research. These include whether it is morally permissible to destroy a human embryo and whether anyone should clone human embryos for therapeutic cloning research. It has been concluded that hES cell and therapeutic cloning research are both acceptable and some guidelines have been offered for the actual conduct of this research. At one end of the spectrum are those who believe that, in moral terms, human life begins at conception. Some who oppose the destruction of human embryos maintain that hES cell research should be deferred at least until science provides a better view of the likely benefits of adult stem cell research. They maintain that such research is as promising as hES cell research, and they argue that the moral acceptability of this alternative justifies any delay in availability of therapies. This raises the question of whether downstream researchers, clinicians, or patients may use the stem cell lines that others have derived.