Stem Cells

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Stem Cells
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What Are Stem Cells?

• Cells able to develop into nearly any other type
  of cell.
• Adult stem cells found in skin, gut, blood
• Embryonic stem cells found in very early
  development of embryo (when it has about 100
  cells)
• Embryonic germ cells originate in reproductive
  cells of fetus.

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Sources for Stem Cells

• From adults
• Least controversial but perhaps least promising.
  Fetal germ cells following abortion
• Embryos created by IVF (in excess) no longer
  needed by couple
• Embryos created by IVF for purpose of research
• Embryos created asexually by somatic cell nuclear
  transfer. Cloning-for-research.

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Factual Issues

• How much promise to prevent and cure disease does
  stem cell research have?
• Would cells derived from adults work just as well
  as those from embryos?
• Are there enough stem cell lines already created
  or do we need more for research?
• Would using otherwise discarded fetuses provide
  an incentive for abortion?
• Can adequate research proceed without federal
  funding?

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Ethical Issues

• What is the moral status of a human (pre-)
  embryo?
• Does it make a moral difference whether created
  for purpose of research?
• Does it make a moral difference if embryo would
  otherwise be discarded?
• What should public policy be in an area full of
  moral and religious controversy?

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Embryonic Stem Cell Research To Fund or Not to
Fund?

• Do not fund (prohibit?) use of any stem cells
  even if already created (because implicated in
  killing embryo)
• Fund use of embryonic stem cell lines that have
  already been created. (No funding for the
  creation in future.)
• Fund creation of stem cell lines but only from
  embryos already in storage and otherwise
  discarded.
• Fund creation of stem cell lines from future
  embryos/fetuses if they would otherwise be
  discarded.
• Fund creation of stem cell lines from any embryo,
  including those created for this purpose (perhaps
  through cloning)

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Pres. Bushs Decision

• Do not fund (prohibit?) use of any stem cells
  even if already created (because implicated in
  killing embryo)
• Fund use of embryonic stem cell lines that have
  already been created. (No funding for the
  creation in future.)
• Fund creation of stem cell lines but only from
  embryos already in storage and otherwise
  discarded.
• Fund creation of stem cell lines from future
  embryos/fetuses if they would otherwise be
  discarded.
• Fund creation of stem cell lines from any embryo,
  including those created for this purpose (perhaps
  through cloning)

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NBAC

• Do not fund (prohibit?) use of any stem cells
  even if already created (because implicated in
  killing embryo)
• Fund use of embryonic stem cell lines that have
  already been created. (No funding for the
  creation in future.)
• Fund creation of stem cell lines but only from
  embryos already in storage and otherwise
  discarded.
• Fund creation of stem cell lines from future
  embryos/fetuses if they would otherwise be
  discarded.
• Fund creation of stem cell lines from any embryo,
  including those created for this purpose (perhaps
  through cloning)

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NBAC

• Adult cells should not be considered an adequate
  alternative to embryonic
• Embryos deserve respect but scientific and
  clinical benefits of stem cell research should
  not be foregone.
• Development of public policy in a morally
  contested area is not a novel challenge for a
  pluralistic democracy as in U.S.

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Use of Aborted Fetuses

• OK to fund derivation and use of stem cells from
  aborted fetuses.
• Must separate the decision to abort from the
  decision to donate
• Can this really be done if women know that
  aborted fetuses are used?
• But would it really influence a decision whether
  or not to abort?

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Use of Excess Embryos

• OK to fund use of embryos remaining after
  fertility treatment
• The ban on federal funding of embryo research
  should be lifted conflcits with several of the
  ethical goals of medicineespecially healing,
  prevention, and research.
• Objection (accepted by Pres. Bush) OK to fund
  use of already created stem cell lines but not
  their creation.
• Research interests dictate against this
  separation.

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Use of Excess Embryos

• Must separate couples decision to discard embryo
  (rather than use or donate to another couple)
  from decision to donate.
• Couple cannot direct to whom stem cells will go
  (to deny an incentive)

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Embryos Created for Research

• No funding for embryos specifically created for
  research at this time
• No funding for cloning-for-research, embryos
  made from somatic cell nuclear transfer into
  oocytes
• If later approved, ban on designated recipient
  will have to be changed (since likely to be self)

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Still Pending

• NBAC mainly discussed federal funding
• Congress during Bush years was considering a ban
  on all cloning, both for reproduction and for
  research.
• Kass initially favored allowing cloning for
  research but changed his mind
• Could the two be adequately separated? What if
  research embryo implanted?

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New Obama Policy

• March 2009 President Obama issued executive
  order lifting ban on federal funding for
  embryonic stem cell research
• Congress still needs to act if it wishes to
  change Dickey-Wicker amendment in spending bill
  which seems to prohibit federal funding through
  Sept. 2009