Assuntos
Síndrome da Imunodeficiência Adquirida/economia , Pesquisa Biomédica/economia , Financiamento de Capital/estatística & dados numéricos , Financiamento Governamental/estatística & dados numéricos , Infecções por HIV/economia , Apoio à Pesquisa como Assunto/economia , Apoio à Pesquisa como Assunto/estatística & dados numéricos , África Subsaariana , Bases de Dados Factuais , HumanosAssuntos
Doenças Genéticas Inatas/diagnóstico , Testes Genéticos/ética , Setor de Assistência à Saúde/ética , Diagnóstico Pré-Implantação/ética , Argumento Refutável , Polipose Adenomatosa do Colo/diagnóstico , Biópsia , Doenças Genéticas Inatas/genética , Predisposição Genética para Doença , Órgãos Governamentais , Teste de Histocompatibilidade/ética , Humanos , Diagnóstico Pré-Implantação/métodos , Pré-Seleção do Sexo/éticaRESUMO
Stem cells from umbilical cord blood probably now form one of the most commonly banked types of human tissue. Originally stored for the treatment of haematological disorders these stem cells have now been found to be more versatile, even pluripotent, with potential for use in the treatment of a broader range of disorders and diseases and may be particularly valuable in cell therapy and regenerative medicine. This has led to the promotion of private storage of cord blood cells for autologous or family use and a rapidly growing private sector involvement. There is a growing tension between public and private banking and a number of ethical issues continue to be debated involving questions of regulation and quality assurance, ownership and commercialisation, and patenting. This paper aims to investigate some of these issues.
Assuntos
Bancos de Sangue/ética , Doação Dirigida de Tecido/ética , Sangue Fetal/citologia , Bancos de Sangue/legislação & jurisprudência , Preservação de Sangue , Transplante de Células-Tronco de Sangue do Cordão Umbilical , Doação Dirigida de Tecido/legislação & jurisprudência , Humanos , Obtenção de Tecidos e Órgãos/ética , Obtenção de Tecidos e Órgãos/legislação & jurisprudênciaRESUMO
The first successful cord cell transplant to a sibling with Fanconi's anaemia took place 15 years ago. This proven utility of cord blood led to the establishment of cord blood banks both private and public and there are now nearly 100 cord blood banks worldwide. It is estimated that over 200,000 cord blood units (CBU) are held by the private sector and over 160,000 CBU are registered with the largest public cord blood registry. There is a tension between private cord blood banks, which store CBU for autologous or family use, and public banks, which store CBU for unrelated use and the ethics of private cord blood storage has been questioned. But more general ethical questions also arise regarding ownership, consent, confidentiality, costs and quality standards and patenting. In looking at these ethical issues one also needs to look at potential future use of cord blood stem cells. Up until now cord cells have principally been used in the treatment of paediatric blood and immune disorders. Improvements in cell expansion technology will make CBU more appropriate also for treating adults with such disorders. However, it has also been demonstrated that cord blood stem cells have the capacity to differentiate into other types of cells, neuronal, bone, epithelial and muscle which would have a future role to play in cell therapy and regenerative medicine.
Assuntos
Sangue Fetal , Bancos de Tecidos/estatística & dados numéricos , Humanos , Células-Tronco/citologia , Bancos de Tecidos/tendênciasRESUMO
Most studies on the ethics and provision of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) have taken place in the context of the Judaeo-Christian culture of western developed countries. This study looks at ART, its provision and control, in an eastern developed country with a completely different cultural background; Japan. A necessarily brief description of the cultural context of religious belief, the family and reproduction in Japan is followed by a description of the development of ART in Japan together with an analysis of its provision and control.