Asunto(s)
Investigaciones con Embriones , Embrión de Mamíferos , Guías como Asunto , Células Madre Embrionarias Humanas , Confianza , Humanos , Investigaciones con Embriones/ética , Investigaciones con Embriones/legislación & jurisprudencia , Embrión de Mamíferos/citología , Embrión de Mamíferos/embriología , Células Madre Embrionarias Humanas/citología , Laboratorios/ética , Laboratorios/normas , Modelos BiológicosAsunto(s)
Investigaciones con Embriones , Animales , Humanos , Investigaciones con Embriones/ética , Investigaciones con Embriones/legislación & jurisprudencia , Embrión de Mamíferos/embriología , Embrión de Mamíferos/citología , Laboratorios/organización & administración , Modelos Biológicos , Reino UnidoAsunto(s)
Investigaciones con Embriones , Embrión de Mamíferos , Laboratorios , Biología Sintética , Humanos , Investigaciones con Embriones/ética , Investigaciones con Embriones/legislación & jurisprudencia , Embrión de Mamíferos/embriología , Biología Sintética/ética , Biología Sintética/legislación & jurisprudencia , Biología Sintética/métodosAsunto(s)
Investigaciones con Embriones/ética , Investigaciones con Embriones/legislación & jurisprudencia , Embrión de Mamíferos/embriología , Aborto Espontáneo/genética , Aborto Espontáneo/patología , Aneuploidia , Animales , Blastocisto/citología , Tipificación del Cuerpo , Técnicas de Cultivo de Célula , Anomalías Congénitas , Embrión de Mamíferos/citología , Embrión de Mamíferos/patología , Ética en Investigación , Femenino , Fertilización In Vitro , Gastrulación , Células Madre Embrionarias Humanas/citología , Humanos , Ratones , Modelos Biológicos , Organogénesis , Embarazo , Línea Primitiva/embriología , Factores de TiempoRESUMEN
ABSTRACT: The paper addresses the issue of the legality and ethical admissi-bility of invasive experiments on embryos and the correlated one of the degree of legal protection and dignity to be recognized for human embryos, particularly in light of the growing importance that scientific research on embryonic stem cells has been gaining from the clinical and biomedical standpoints in the therapeutic treatments of diseases so far considered incurable, in the interest of public health. Furthermore, the issue of experimentation on cryopreserved supernumerary human embryos is still extremely polarizing, which makes it harder to arrive at shared solutions. The author hopes for a broad-ranging debate at the international level, for the ultimate purpose of achieving shared regulatory frameworks.
Asunto(s)
Criopreservación/ética , Criopreservación/métodos , Investigaciones con Embriones/ética , Investigaciones con Embriones/legislación & jurisprudencia , Embrión de Mamíferos , Principios Morales , Valor de la Vida , HumanosAsunto(s)
Investigaciones con Embriones/ética , Investigaciones con Embriones/legislación & jurisprudencia , Guías como Asunto , Derechos Humanos/legislación & jurisprudencia , Defensa del Paciente , Investigación con Células Madre/ética , Investigación con Células Madre/legislación & jurisprudencia , Aborto Espontáneo , Anomalías Congénitas , Femenino , Humanos , Infertilidad/terapia , Masculino , Defensa del Paciente/ética , Defensa del Paciente/legislación & jurisprudenciaRESUMEN
Programs should create and enforce written policies addressing the designation, retention, and disposal of unclaimed embryos. In the absence of program-specific policies, it is ethically permissible for a program or facility to consider embryos to have been unclaimed if a reasonable period of time has passed since contact with an individual or couple; efforts as outlined in the consent form have been made to contact the individual or couple; and no written instructions from the individual or couple with dispositional control exist concerning disposition. In such cases, programs or facilities may dispose of unclaimed embryos by removing them from storage and thawing without transfer. In the absence of specific written instructions, unclaimed embryos may not be donated to others for reproductive use or be used in research. This statement replaces the American Society for Reproductive Medicine Ethics Committee document "Disposition of Abandoned Embryos" published in 2013.
Asunto(s)
Destinación del Embrión/ética , Investigaciones con Embriones/ética , Política de Salud , Consentimiento Informado/ética , Medicina Reproductiva/ética , Criopreservación/ética , Destinación del Embrión/legislación & jurisprudencia , Investigaciones con Embriones/legislación & jurisprudencia , Comités de Ética , Fertilización In Vitro/ética , Política de Salud/legislación & jurisprudencia , Humanos , Consentimiento Informado/legislación & jurisprudencia , Formulación de Políticas , Medicina Reproductiva/legislación & jurisprudenciaAsunto(s)
Investigaciones con Embriones/ética , Investigaciones con Embriones/legislación & jurisprudencia , Guías como Asunto , Liderazgo , Investigación con Células Madre/ética , Investigación con Células Madre/legislación & jurisprudencia , Comités Consultivos , Animales , Quimera/embriología , Humanos , Internacionalidad , Factores de TiempoAsunto(s)
Investigaciones con Embriones/ética , Investigaciones con Embriones/legislación & jurisprudencia , Embrión de Mamíferos , Internacionalidad , Sociedades Científicas , Investigación con Células Madre/ética , Investigación con Células Madre/legislación & jurisprudencia , Técnicas de Cultivo de Tejidos , Embrión de Mamíferos/citología , Embrión de Mamíferos/embriología , Femenino , Edición Génica/ética , Edición Génica/legislación & jurisprudencia , Guías como Asunto , Humanos , Masculino , Terapia de Reemplazo Mitocondrial , Óvulo/citología , Óvulo/metabolismo , Espermatozoides/citología , Espermatozoides/metabolismo , Factores de Tiempo , Técnicas de Cultivo de Tejidos/ética , Técnicas de Cultivo de Tejidos/métodos , Gemelos/genética , Estados UnidosRESUMEN
In this article, we discuss the ethics of human embryoids, i.e., embryo-like structures made from pluripotent stem cells for modeling natural embryos. We argue that defining our social priorities is critical to design a consistent ethical guideline for research on those new entities. The absence of clear regulations on these emerging technologies stems from an unresolved debate surrounding natural human embryo research and one common opinion that one needs to solve the question of the moral status of the human embryo before regulating their surrogate. The recent NIH funding restrictions for research on human embryoids have made scientists even more unlikely to raise their voices. As a result, the scientific community has maintained a low profile while longing for a more favorable socio-political climate for their research. This article is a call for consistency among biomedical research on human materials, trying to position human embryoids within a spectrum of existing practice from stem cell research or IVF to research involving human subjects. We specifically note that the current practices in infertility clinics of freezing human embryos or disposing of them without any consideration for their potential benefits contradicts the assumption of special consideration for human material. Conversely, creating human embryoids for research purposes could ensure that no human material be used in vain, always serving humankind. We argue here that it is time to reconsider the full ban on embryo research (human embryos and embryoids) beyond the 14-day rule and that research on those entities should obey a sliding scale combining the completeness of the model (e.g., complete vs. partial) and the developmental stage: with more advanced completeness and developmental stage of the considered entity, being associated with more rigorous evaluation of societal benefits, statements of intention, and necessity of such research.
Asunto(s)
Investigaciones con Embriones/ética , Cuerpos Embrioides , Investigación con Células Madre/ética , Animales , Criopreservación , Destinación del Embrión/ética , Destinación del Embrión/legislación & jurisprudencia , Investigaciones con Embriones/legislación & jurisprudencia , Embrión de Mamíferos/citología , Cuerpos Embrioides/citología , Desarrollo Embrionario , Células Madre Embrionarias/citología , Fertilización In Vitro/ética , Fertilización In Vitro/legislación & jurisprudencia , Gastrulación , Guías como Asunto , Humanos , Internacionalidad , Ratones , Principios Morales , National Institutes of Health (U.S.) , Células Madre Pluripotentes/citología , Investigación con Células Madre/legislación & jurisprudencia , Estados UnidosRESUMEN
The paper addresses the issues of admissibility of human embryo research and the legal protection to be recognized, in light of the growing importance that scientific research has been gaining in the clinical and biomedical fields of embryonic stem cells for therapeutic purposes. As for human embryo experimentation, particularly on cryopreserved supernumerary embryos, European legislation varies, since the European Court has granted member States a wide margin of appreciation. Some countries, including Italy, have strict legislation protecting embryos from the fertilisation stage, whereas others have taken permissive approaches, allowing experimentation until 14 days after fertilisation. Science, however, has shown that the 14-day limit can be moved. The author finds it necessary to achieve broad international consensus and shared regulations. Lawmakers, however, need to balance respect for the principle of life, represented by the embryo, against scientific needs, in order to devise sound regulations safeguarding both apparently conflicting fundamental values.
Asunto(s)
Investigaciones con Embriones/legislación & jurisprudencia , Embrión de Mamíferos , Células Madre Embrionarias , Jurisprudencia , Investigación con Células Madre/legislación & jurisprudencia , Comparación Transcultural , Europa (Continente) , Humanos , Internacionalidad/legislación & jurisprudencia , ItaliaRESUMEN
Discussions and debates about the governance of human germline and heritable genome editing should be informed by a clear and accurate understanding of the global policy landscape. This policy survey of 106 countries yields significant new data. A large majority of countries (96 out of 106) surveyed have policy documents-legislation, regulations, guidelines, codes, and international treaties-relevant to the use of genome editing to modify early-stage human embryos, gametes, or their precursor cells. Most of these 96 countries do not have policies that specifically address the use of genetically modified in vitro embryos in laboratory research (germline genome editing); of those that do, 23 prohibit this research and 11 explicitly permit it. Seventy-five of the 96 countries prohibit the use of genetically modified in vitro embryos to initiate a pregnancy (heritable genome editing). Five of these 75 countries provide exceptions to their prohibitions. No country explicitly permits heritable human genome editing. These data contrast markedly with previously reported findings.
Asunto(s)
Sistemas CRISPR-Cas , Investigaciones con Embriones/legislación & jurisprudencia , Edición Génica/legislación & jurisprudencia , Genoma Humano , Células Germinativas , Células Madre Embrionarias , HumanosAsunto(s)
Sistemas CRISPR-Cas , Investigaciones con Embriones , Edición Génica , Terapia Genética , Genoma Humano , Consenso , Investigaciones con Embriones/ética , Investigaciones con Embriones/legislación & jurisprudencia , Edición Génica/ética , Edición Génica/legislación & jurisprudencia , Terapia Genética/ética , Terapia Genética/legislación & jurisprudencia , HumanosRESUMEN
Research using human embryos and embryoids has expanded in recent years due to technological advances. Surveying laws and guidelines among the top research and development (R&D) investing nations highlights existing barriers to expanding this area of research. Of the 22 nations surveyed, we found 12 countries with a 14-day limit, one with a seven-day limit, five with prohibitions and four without national laws or guidelines that limit or prohibit human embryo research. Sixteen national laws or guidelines define an embryo or related entities, with five nations limiting human embryoid research. Other laws are ambiguous in relation to embryoid research, leave unanswered questions regarding what research is permitted or restricted and need additional clarity for researchers.
Asunto(s)
Investigación Biomédica/ética , Investigaciones con Embriones/ética , Investigaciones con Embriones/legislación & jurisprudencia , Embrión de Mamíferos/citología , Células Madre Embrionarias Humanas/citología , Humanos , InternacionalidadRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Studying the human peri-implantation period remains hindered by the limited accessibility of the in vivo environment and scarcity of research material. As such, continuing efforts have been directed towards developing embryo-like structures (ELS) from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) that recapitulate aspects of embryogenesis in vitro. While the creation of such models offers immense potential for studying fundamental processes in both pre- and early post-implantation development, it also proves ethically contentious due to wide-ranging views on the moral and legal reverence due to human embryos. Lack of clarity on how to qualify and regulate research with ELS thus presents a challenge in that it may either limit this new field of research without valid grounds or allow it to develop without policies that reflect justified ethical concerns. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE: The aim of this article is to provide a comprehensive overview of the existing scientific approaches to generate ELS from mouse and human PSCs, as well as discuss future strategies towards innovation in the context of human development. Concurrently, we aim to set the agenda for the ethical and policy issues surrounding research on human ELS. SEARCH METHODS: The PubMed database was used to search peer-reviewed articles and reviews using the following terms: 'stem cells', 'pluripotency', 'implantation', 'preimplantation', 'post-implantation', 'blastocyst', 'embryoid bodies', 'synthetic embryos', 'embryo models', 'self-assembly', 'human embryo-like structures', 'artificial embryos' in combination with other keywords related to the subject area. The PubMed and Web of Science databases were also used to systematically search publications on the ethics of ELS and human embryo research by using the aforementioned keywords in combination with 'ethics', 'law', 'regulation' and equivalent terms. All relevant publications until December 2019 were critically evaluated and discussed. OUTCOMES: In vitro systems provide a promising way forward for uncovering early human development. Current platforms utilize PSCs in both two- and three-dimensional settings to mimic various early developmental stages, including epiblast, trophoblast and amniotic cavity formation, in addition to axis development and gastrulation. Nevertheless, much hinges on the term 'embryo-like'. Extension of traditional embryo frameworks to research with ELS reveals that (i) current embryo definitions require reconsideration, (ii) cellular convertibility challenges the attribution of moral standing on the basis of 'active potentiality' and (iii) meaningful application of embryo protective directives will require rethinking of the 14-day culture limit and moral weight attributed to (non-)viability. Many conceptual and normative (dis)similarities between ELS and embryos thus remain to be thoroughly elucidated. WIDER IMPLICATIONS: Modelling embryogenesis holds vast potential for both human developmental biology and understanding various etiologies associated with infertility. To date, ELS have been shown to recapitulate several aspects of peri-implantation development, but critically, cannot develop into a fetus. Yet, concurrent to scientific innovation, considering the extent to which the use of ELS may raise moral concerns typical of human embryo research remains paramount. This will be crucial for harnessing the potential of ELS as a valuable research tool, whilst remaining within a robust moral and legal framework of professionally acceptable practices.