Should the 14-day rule for embryo research become the 28-day rule?

Annelien L Bredenoord,John B Appleby

doi:10.15252/emmm.201809437

Annelien L Bredenoord, John B Appleby

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.15252/emmm.201809437

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Abstract

The “14‐day rule”—broadly construed—is used in science policy and regulation to limit research on human embryos to a maximum period of 14 days after their creation or to the equivalent stage of development that is normally attributed to a 14‐day‐old embryo (Hyun et al , 2016; Nuffield Council on Bioethics, 2017). For several decades, the 14‐day rule has been a shining example of how science policy and regulation can be developed with interdisciplinary consensus and applied across a number of countries to help fulfil an ethical and practical purpose: to facilitate efficient and ethical embryo research. However, advances in embryology and biomedical research have led to suggestions that the 14‐day rule is no longer adequate (Deglincerti et al , 2016; Shahbazi et al , 2016; Hurlbut et al , 2017). Therefore, should the 14‐day rule be extended and, if so, where should we draw a new line for permissible embryo research? Here, we provide scientific, regulatory and ethical arguments that the 14‐day rule should be extended to 28 days (or the developmental equivalent stage of a 28‐day‐old embryo).

Highlights

The “14-day rule”—broadly construed—is used in science policy and regulation to limit research on human embryos to a maximum period of 14 days after their creation or to the equivalent stage of development that is normally attributed to a 14-day-old embryo (Hyun et al, 2016; Nuffield Council on Bioethics, 2017)
When the UK assembled the Committee of Inquiry Into Human Fertilisation and Embryology in 1982—what became known as the “Warnock Committee”—to debate developments surrounding assisted conception, the idea of a 14-day limit on embryo research was adopted as part of the Committee’s recommendations
Others may not take issue, in principle, with extending embryo research to 28 days, but may be concerned that this could facilitate the further development of technologies that they disagree with, such as germline gene editing (Nuffield Council on Bioethics, 2017)

Summary

Introduction

The “14-day rule”—broadly construed—is used in science policy and regulation to limit research on human embryos to a maximum period of 14 days after their creation or to the equivalent stage of development that is normally attributed to a 14-day-old embryo (Hyun et al, 2016; Nuffield Council on Bioethics, 2017). Others may not take issue, in principle, with extending embryo research to 28 days, but may be concerned that this could facilitate the further development of technologies that they disagree with, such as germline gene editing (Nuffield Council on Bioethics, 2017).

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