Perspectives on Stem Cell Research

1
Perspectives on Stem Cell Research

• Kastenberg Neha Agarwal
• E124 Ravi Murthi
• Term Project Katherine Wang
• May 13, 2003 Connie Wong

2
Stem Cell Research Contents

• What Stem Cells Are
• Ethical Theories
• Eastern and Western Religious Perspectives
• Legalities
• Mesoethics

3
Stem Cell Research What are Stem Cells?

• Stem Cells Are
• Undifferentiated primitive cells
• Have the ability to multiply and differentiate
  into specific kinds of cells
• Can grow specialized cells/tissue to treat
  injuries/diseases
• - Alzheimers, Parkinsons, Diabetes

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Stem Cell Research What are Stem Cells?

• Uncontroversial Sources of Stem Cells
• Umbilical cord
• Placenta
• Adults
• Baby teeth
• Controversial Sources of Stem Cells
• Frozen embryos from IVF Clinics
• - Controversial because kill embryo when
  obtaining stem cells
• Aborted Fetuses
• - Controversial because obtaining stem cells
  from dead baby

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Stem Cell Research Ethical Theories

• Utilitarianism
• Communitarianism
• Kantianism
• Rights Based Theory
• Care Ethics
• Situational Ethics

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Stem Cell Research Ethical Theories

• The Situation
• A married couple has a four year old son who is
  suffering from a disease known as Thalassemia.
  The couple is currently undergoing in-vitro
  fertilization to select an embryo that will be
  compatible with their four year old son. This
  way, after the baby is born, stem cells from its
  umbilical can be used to cure the son.
• Although the life of the donor of the stem cells
  is being spared, there are still many ethical
  issues that are raised.
• Before we can use the stem cells, we must analyze
  the morality of this situation.

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Stem Cell Research Ethical Theories

• Utilitarianism
• Greatest amount of good for the greatest amount
  of people
• Practical
• Does not consider values
• Analysis of Situation
• If son gets cured, he is benefiting along with
  his two parents.
• Three out of the four members of the family are
  gaining, thus under utilitarianism, the use of
  stem cells is ethical in this case.
• The in-vitro babys condition does not matter in
  this case because the greatest amount of good has
  been achieved.

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Stem Cell Research Ethical Theories

• Communitarianism
• Community based theory
• Ethics is defined by what is the common good
• Different than utilitarianism because considers
  values
• Emphasizes family values and community values
• Analysis of situation
• Although the family may be benefiting, this
  situation may result in a slippery slope
  phenomena.
• Families may have undesired children just to have
  spare stem cells that could be used in the
  future.
• Although the greatest good has been achieved for
  the family, the common good may be questioned
  here.

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Stem Cell Research Ethical Theories

• Kantianism
• Upholding obligations for the sake of obligation
  and not for an ulterior motive
• Rule based
• Analysis of situation
• The parents are having a second child not just
  for the sake of having a second child.
• The parents have an ulterior motive which is to
  use the stem cells created by the baby.

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Stem Cell Research Ethical Theories

• Rights Based Theory
• Preserving the right of all parties
• Rights include liberty and expression
• Protects oppression, unequal treatment, and
  arbitrary invasion.
• Analysis of situation
• The babys right to freedom of expression is
  being taken away if one believes the embryo is a
  full human being.
• Will the two children of this couple grow up with
  equal treatment?

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Stem Cell Research Ethical Theories

• Care Ethics
• Defined by emotions felt in close relationships
  such as sympathy, compassion, fidelity, and love.
• Analysis of situation
• Since the parents care for the first child, it is
  ethical for them to try to save their child.
• Yet are they giving enough care to their second
  child as a result of using their second child to
  cure their first?
• Unclear, further analysis is required.

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Stem Cell Research Ethical Theories

• Situational Ethics
• Derived from specific situations
• Does this situation precede the universal rule
• Analysis of situation
• Were the parents intending on having a second
  child?
• Is there any other way the boy can be cured?
• What are the risks involved for the second child
  after it has been selected?

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Stem Cell Research Ethical Theories

• Is it ethical?
• We agree with Kant. If the parents intended on
  the second child before they were aware of the
  boys condition, then we think it is ethical for
  them to use the stem cells.
• We also emphasize the common good. We must
  understand the effects our decision will have on
  society. The risks must be acceptable.

14
Stem Cell Research Eastern and Western Religions

• Western Religions
• Christianity
• Judaism
• Eastern Religions
• Daoism
• Confucianism
• Buddhism
• Islam

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Stem Cell Research Eastern and Western Religions

• Overall Consensus
• All religions believe that usage of adult,
  placental, and umbilical stem cells is acceptable
• Controversy lies with idea of using embryonic
  stem cells and where life begins

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Stem Cell ResearchWestern Religions

• Christianity
• Against the usage of embryonic stem cells
• - Life begins at conception-ensouled existence
• - Killing embryo any time after conception is
  equivalent to killing a human being
• - Pressure to legalize coming form biotech firms
  and pharmaceutical companies to get profit
• - Embryonic cells have not produced anything
  significant so far
• - Slippery slope
• Australian 2000 chimeras
• SF 2001 Mice with ¼ brain cells being human in
• - Should not be testing on humans because embryo
  has no say
• We firmly reject any and all manipulation of
  human embryos for research purposes as inherently
  immoral and a fundamental violation of human
  life.
• -Bishops of the Orthodox Church

17
Stem Cell Research Western Religions

• Judaism
• For embryonic stem cell research
• "a fetus is not seen as being an ensouled person.
  Not only are the first forty days of conception
  considered 'like water' but also even in the last
  trimester, the fetus has a lesser moral status.
• -Writing of Judaism
• Obligation to use unwanted embryos to benefit
  people already living
• Failure to conduct research on embryonic stem
  cells in violation of religious teachings
• Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism says
  it is immoral and unethical to cut off funds
  for promising research
• June 2000
• Rabbis Elliot Dorff, Moshe Dovid Tendler, and
  Laurie Zoloth give testimony to these ideas to
  National Bioethics Advisory Committee

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Stem Cell ResearchEastern Religions-

• Buddhism
• Controversial on embryonic stem cell research
• Advocates
• Central virtues of knowledge and compassion
• Want to alleviate human suffering
• Opponents
• - First precept of Buddhism prohibits causing
  death or injury to living creatures
• - Ahimsa- non harming
• - Life begins at conception karmic identity of
  recently deceased individual
• - No enduring soul
• Self is seen as a continuum
• New consciousness neither same or totally new
  from previous one
• - Doesnt matter if embryos left over or frozen
  it is still killing life
• - Doesnt matter what benevolent purposes are
• Possible use of stem cells from aborted fetuses
• - Advocates say fetus is already dead using
  stem cells like donating an organ
• - Opponents say it is like using money from a
  stolen bank for charitable funds and is
  unacceptable

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Stem Cell ResearchEastern Religions

• Daoism
• Against using embryonic stem cells
• - Wu Wei non purposeful action going with the
  flow
• - Preserving life, celebrates being
• - Organic, wholeness
• - Nurturing like mother

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Stem Cell ResearchEastern Religions

• Confucianism
• Against using embryonic stem cells
• - Natural patterns constitute moral guidelines
• - Desire to transgress natural patterns destroys
  equilibrium of the world and humane ordering of
  worldly affairs.

21
Stem Cell ResearchEastern Religions

• Islam
• Embryo Stem Cells OK based on
• - Distinction between actual life and potential
  life
• - Embryo not a human unless it is in a womb (its
  natural environment)
• Cant become a human in a petri dish has
  potential but not yet a human
• - Embryo not a human until after 42 days
• - Obligatory if will help suffering
• Limitations
• - Use ones that would only be discarded from IVF
• - Embryos made for the sake of reproduction if
  not used, would be frozen or thrown away
• - Prevent excess creation of embryos
• - Difference between frozen embryos that would
  be thrown away as opposed to those that would be
  made in excess
• - Continue research in adult stem cells

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Stem Cell ResearchEastern and Western Religions

• Conclusion
• No general consensus over all the religions
• Western and Eastern overlap some in stand against
  using embryonic stem cells
• Still hotly debated

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Stem Cell Research Legalities

• Pose some related ethical questions along the way
• Start with a few countries and then talk more
  specifically about the U.S.

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Stem Cell Research Legalities

• Other Countries
• United Kingdom
• - The Human Fertilization and Embryology Act of
  1990 allowed therapeutic cloning and stem cell
  research
• - Anti-abortion activists were able to strike
  down the provision recently
• Australia
• - Companies claim they can now create stem cell
  lines from embryos created through
  parthenogenesis (reproduction without
  fertilization)
• - Advocates say that these embryos can never
  become humans
• - Those in opposition still contest this method
  is illegal under violation of the Prohibition of
  Human Cloning Act of 2002

25
Stem Cell Research Legalities

• U.S.
• Bush bars federal funds for stem cell research on
  stem cell cultures created after August 9, 2001
• Researchers claim old cultures were useful to do
  studies for a while, but
• - The quality of these cells are poor
• - New stem cells must be used in order to make
  advancements
• California
• - In September 2002, Governor Gray Davis signed
  a bill allocating 12 million dollars to Stanford
  University and permitting stem cell research
• - Ethical issue for Catholics is that Governor
  Davis is one, but most do not feel a person can
  be both Catholic and for stem cell research

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Stem Cell Research Legalities

• U.S. (contd)
• Currently
• - Talks going on all over the nation.
• - May 1, 2003 The Statehouse launched its first
  in-depth debate about the use of cloned embryos
  to conduct stem cell research.
• - May 10, 2003 Chicago Earthquakes rookie Todd
  Dunivant contributed two bone-marrow transplants
  to save brother suffering from leukemia
• - Bills are being put forth to try and establish
  a specific framework for enhancing stem cell
  research. These could ultimately have
  therapeutic affects on the entire human race.

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Stem Cell Research Legalities

• Ethical Question
• How can we not pursue the possible cures for
  illnesses such as Alzheimers, Parkinsons,
  diabetes, breast cancer, spinal cord injuries,
  etc.?
• Advocates argue that if we exercised
  narrow-minded judgments, we would still be
  looking for cures to tuberculosis, polio, etc.

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Stem Cell Research Mesoethics

• Government funds in stem cell/bio tech has a say
  in how money is used
• Corporate ethics often conflict with micro or
  individual ethics, and macro ethics-societal
  values
• Striking a middle ground between corporate
  interests (scientific advancements) and
  individual, societal values

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Stem Cell Research Mesoethics

• A Corporate Example
• Geron-Stem Cell RD Co.
• - Embryonic Stem Cell (ESC)
• - Realize controversy
• - Honest effort to inform public without swaying
  public
• - CEO Thomas Okarma states
• Its important for us to avoid influencing the
  public debate. Our technology has ethical
  implications, and for us to be an ethical company
  itd be wrong to lobby for support convincing
  people to see things our way.

30
Stem Cell Research Mesoethics

• Ethics Advisory Board (EAB)
• Bioethicists hired as consultants
• Advice for whole entire company including RD,
  marketing, big picture rather than individual
  projects
• No financial interest or connection with Geron
• Consists of philosophical, scientific, technical,
  product development members

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Stem Cell Research Mesoethics

• Gerons Response to EAB
• Geron not obligated to EABs advice
• Geron highly regards EAB
• - Example
• - Geron was going to fund a new research but
  since several EAB members objected, they decided
  not to pursue it.
• Ethics won over commercialism

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Stem Cell Research Bigger Picture

• Huge fundings ever growing
• especially in CA
• The biotech industry is pressuring us to develop
  an ethical approach to stem cell research and
  biotech.
• A middle ground exists for scientific
  advancement, economic growth and individual
  ethical values
• KEY REALIZATION and understanding of DIFFERENT
  WORLDVIEWS.

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Stem Cell Research Should We Allow It?

• Groups General Consensus
• Yes,
• Embryos are already destined to die or be thrown
  away might as well conduct research on these
  discarded cells
• Not taking advantage of this research would leave
  our race in a stagnant position
• A life is not being taken away
• But
• Companies need to be aware of and address
  societal concerns in terms of conducting research
  with embryos
• We need to be aware of over creating embryos for
  the sake of stem cell research
• Continue research in adult stem cells

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Stem Cell Research Sources Used

• Beauchamp, T.L. and Childress, J.F. Principles
  of Biomedical Ethics 5thed. Oxford University
  Press, 2001.
• Cibelli, Jose B., Lanza, Robert P., and West,
  Michael, with Ezzel, Carol. The First Human
  Cloned Embryo. Scientific American. New York,
  New York January 2002.
• de la Mothe, John and Jorge Niosi., ed. The
  Economic and Social Dynamics of Biotechnology.
  Boston Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2000.
• Dhanda, Rahul K. Guiding Icarus Merging
  Bioethics with Corporate Interests. New York
  John Wiley Sons, 2002.
• EMBRYONIC STEM CELL RESEARCH IN THE PERSPECTIVE
  OF ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY A Statement of the Holy
  Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in
  America. Orthodox Church in America, 2002.
• www.oca.org/pages/ocaadmin/documents/Pastoral-Let
  ters/2001-Stem-Cell-Research.html
• Killion, Ann. The Best Assist. San Jose
  Mercury News. San Jose San Jose Mercury News,
  May 10, 2003.
• Lahn, Bruce. Stem Cell Research Separating
  Eternal Human Drive from Contemporary Cultural
  Fashion.
• www.uchospitals.edu/midway/fall-02/perspective.pd
  f
• Metanexus. STEM CELL RESEARCH WHO DECIDES WHEN
  LIFE BEGINS? SOME RELIGIOUS SCHOLARS TAKE A
  SURPRISING VIEW. The Religious Consultation on
  Population, Reproductive Health Ethics.
  www.religiousconsultation.org/Stem_cells_in_MetaNe
  xus.htm
• Religious Views on Stem Cell Research.
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  gionandethics/week448/perspectives.html
• Siddiqi, Dr. Muzammil. An Islamic Perspective
  on Stem Cells Research. The Sabr Foundation.
  1998-2002.
• www.islam101.com/science/stemCells.htm
• Tucker, Elizabeth. Confucianism/Neoconfucianism
  and Taoism. (Class Handout)
• Unit 3 Rebirth and Kamma. Introduction to
  Buddhism Course. 2003. buddhism.about.com/library
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