Ethical issues involved in stem cell research and therapy

with special reference to human embryo and fetal

development
“ The first step in the evolution of
ethics is a sense of solidarity with
other human beings. ”
— Albert Sweiter
 HUMAN EMBRYO
AND FETUS
• An embryo is a multicellular diploid
eukaryote in its earliest stage of
Development, from the time of first
cell division until birth, hatching, or
germination.

• In humans, it is called an embryo

until about eight weeks after
fertilization, and from then it is
instead called a fetus.
About stem cells
• Stem cells are a form of human life:
they are alive and contain human DNA.
They have a unique feature in that they
can be coaxed into developing into
some or all of the 220 cell types found
in the human body (showing
pluripotent nature of the stem cells.)

• embryonic stem cells have the

greatest potential as they can
theoretically become any of the 220
cell types.
Derivation and Use of Embryonic Stem Cell
Lines
Isolate
Isolate inner
inner cell
cell mass
mass
Outer
Outer cells
cells (destroys
(destroys embryo)
embryo)
(forms
(forms placenta)
placenta)
Inner
Inner cells
cells
(forms fetus)
(forms fetus)
Culture
Culture cells
cells

Day
Day 5-6
5-6
Blastocyst
Blastocyst
“Special sauce”
(largely unknown)

Liver
Heart
repaired
06/06/2021 Kidney Heart muscle
 Legal Considerations: Embryonic Cell
Research

• 1973 – moratorium on
government financing for human
embryo research

• 1988 – NIH Panel voted 19-2 in

favor of government funding

06/06/2021
 Legal Considerations: Embryonic Cell
Research

• The NBAC recommended allowing federal funding for

human embryonic stem cell research on excess IVF
embryos (National Bioethics Advisory Commission,
1999).

• August 25, 2000, President Clinton allowed funding of

research based on cells from (aborted) human fetal
lines, but not embryonic cells.

06/06/2021
 THE CONTROVERSY
• The use of fetal stem cells for medical research is a hotly
debated issue because some equate it to abortion.
However, fetal stem cells:
1. are obtained from terminated pregnancies or in vitro
(artificially)
2. will not develop into a fetus after harvesting
3. have been clinically proven to cure disease
 ISSUES AND FACTS
• The ethical and social issues associated with stem cell
research are complex and controversial and require
thoughtful discourse in public fora to reach resolution.

• The fact that these stem cells were produced from embryos
and fetal tissue raises a number of ethical concerns.

• The need to ensure that stem cell research not encourage the
creation of embryos or the termination of pregnancies for
research purposes.
• In its most basic form, the central argument supporting the
claim that it is unethical to destroy human embryos goes as
follows:

“ It is morally impermissible to intentionally kill

innocent human beings; the human embryo
is an innocent human being; therefore it is
morally impermissible to intentionally kill the
human embryo. “
 VIEWS
• Religious groups and some politicians believe that it’s
unethical to harvest these cells because they believe it
destroys the embryo.

• One Kansas senator went as far as to say that it’s

“Nazism,” saying it’s “illegal, immoral, and
unnecessary.”

• Some religious groups also believe that “you are

getting in the way of God’s work.”
 In conclusion

• Human embryonic stem cell (HESC) research offers much

hope for alleviating the human suffering brought on by the
ravages of disease and injury.
• The development of cell lines that may produce almost every
tissue of the human body is an unprecedented scientific
breakthrough.
• Stem cell research is one of the new frontiers and scientists
should have the opportunity to fully explore it, without
restrictions and limitations.
 CONTINUE…
• Fetal stem cells are an incredible discovery
and hopefully, someday in the near future,
they will be used to save thousands of lives.
• There are no valid scientific arguments to say
that they shouldn’t be used.
• Overall, there is no reason to eliminate fetal
stem cell research.
THANK YOU
• ANY QUERIES..??