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Is this Cell a Human Being? pp 55–75Cite as

Embryos Grown in Culture Deserve the Same Moral Status as Embryos After Implantation

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Abstract

Reprogramming somatic adult cells makes it possible to obtain induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) without the necessity of destroying human embryos. Nonetheless, this technique gives rise to unexpected ethical challenges. In particular, the possibility of using reprogramming to create human gametes and eventually embryos has provoked arguments negating the moral status of human embryos that can be grown in culture. To face these new ethical challenges we introduce the concept of proper biological potential for developing a body exhibiting human architecture and spontaneous motility and further propose that personhood can be ascertained on the basis of this proper biological potential. We then argue that the embryo’s proper biological potential for developing the neural activity responsible for fetal motility is not determined by implantation and so embryos grown in culture deserve the same moral status as the embryos after implantation. Additionally, we articulate our philosophical reasons for our support of the clinical criteria for defining death and our support of the criterion of DIANA insufficiencies (insufficiencies that Directly Inhibit the Appearance of Neural Activity) for distinguishing between disabled embryos and nonembryos.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva Medical School, 1, rue Michel-Servet, 1211, Geneva 4, Switzerland

    Joachim Huarte

  2. Social Trends Institute/Bioethics, Barcelona, Spain

    Joachim Huarte & Antoine Suarez

  3. Swiss Society of Bioethics, Zurich, Switzerland

    Joachim Huarte & Antoine Suarez

  4. The Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies, Berninastr. 85, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland

    Antoine Suarez

Authors
  1. Joachim Huarte
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  2. Antoine Suarez
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Correspondence to Antoine Suarez .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. The Institute for Interdisciplinary Stud, Berninastr. 85, Zürich, 8057, Switzerland

    Antoine Suarez

  2. , Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva Medical School, Rue Michel-Servet 1, Geneva, 1211, Switzerland

    Joachim Huarte

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Huarte, J., Suarez, A. (2011). Embryos Grown in Culture Deserve the Same Moral Status as Embryos After Implantation. In: Suarez, A., Huarte, J. (eds) Is this Cell a Human Being?. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-20772-3_5

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