Are pluripotent stem cells ethical?
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Are pluripotent stem cells ethical?
iPSCs have been touted as ethically uncomplicated alternatives to ESCs, so the ethics surrounding iPSCs are largely evaluated in comparison to those involving ESCs. If iPSCs turn out to be a useful alternative to ESC research, they will avoid the most significant concerns in feminist ethics surrounding the issue.
What is the source of pluripotent stem cells?
iPSC are derived from skin or blood cells that have been reprogrammed back into an embryonic-like pluripotent state that enables the development of an unlimited source of any type of human cell needed for therapeutic purposes.
What are some ethical issues with using stem cells?
Table 1
| Phase of research | Ethical issues |
|---|---|
| 1. Payment to oocyte donors | |
| 2. Medical risks of oocyte retrieval | |
| 3. Protecting reproductive interests of women in infertility treatment | |
| Use of stem cell lines derived at another institution | Conflicting legal and ethical standards |
Why are induced pluripotent stem cells ethical?
Human induced pluripotent stem cells can be obtained from somatic cells, and their derivation does not require destruction of embryos, thus avoiding ethical problems arising from the destruction of human embryos.
What are alternatives to stem cells?
Alternative Stem Cell Sources
- Embryonic Stem Cells. Embryonic stem cells are isolated from embryos.
- Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT)
- Induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) Cells.
- Adult Stem Cells.
What is an alternative to the embryonic stem cells?
However, the acquisition of human embryonic stem cells from an embryo can cause the destruction of the embryo, thus raising ethical concerns. In 2006, researchers introduced an alternative to harvesting embryonic stem cells called induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells.
What are the ethical issues with stem cell and gene therapy?
Ethical questions surrounding gene therapy include: (1) How to distinguish between “good” and “bad” uses of gene therapy? (2) Who does decide which traits are normal and which are disabilities or handicaps? (3) Would the high cost of gene therapy make it available only to the rich? (4) Will the widespread use of gene …
What are the disadvantages of induced pluripotent stem cells?
Disadvantages. The main issue is the use of retroviruses to generate iPSCs as they are associated with cancer. More specifically, retroviruses can insert their DNA anywhere in the genome and subsequently trigger cancer-causing gene expression.
Is using embryonic stem cells ethical?
There are no ethical or moral concerns with the appropriate use of adult stem cells. However, human embryonic stem cell (HESC) research is unethical since it results in the destruction of human life for research purposes.
Which of the following is true about pluripotent stem cells?
Which of the following is true about pluripotent stem cells? They can develop into any type of tissue in a body.
What can be used instead of embryonic stem cells?
By altering the genes in the adult cells, researchers can reprogram the cells to act similarly to embryonic stem cells. This new technique may allow use of reprogrammed cells instead of embryonic stem cells and prevent immune system rejection of the new stem cells.
What are the ethical and social issues concerning gene therapy and stem cell research?
Is destroying embryos ethical?
Once embryos have been produced, it is permissible to destroy them in research, provided that they are unwanted and that the parents consent.
How is stem cell research unethical?
Opponents argue that the research is unethical, because deriving the stem cells destroys the blastocyst, an unimplanted human embryo at the sixth to eighth day of development. As Bush declared when he vetoed last year’s stem cell bill, the federal government should not support “the taking of innocent human life.”
