Ethical Issues in Human Stem Cell Research: Embryos and Beyond

  • Inmaculada de Melo-Martin
  • Marin Gillis
Chapter

Chapter Summary

In this chapter, Inmaculada de Melo-Martin and Marin Gillis begin by presenting some background on embryonic stem cells, including on why their distinctive feature — the capacity to differentiate into any type of cell in the body — is thought to hold so much biomedical research and therapeutic potential. They then explore the ethical issues raised by the use of stem cells in research and treatment. Among the issues they discuss are: the moral status of the embryos that are destroyed in the derivation of stem cells; safety and informed consent by patients who undergo stem cell based therapies; obtaining ova from women to create embryos for research; and justice concerns related to the inequality in access to novel medical technologies.

Keywords

Stem Cell Embryonic Stem Cell Moral Status Human Embryonic Stem Cell Adult Stem Cell 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Inmaculada de Melo-Martin and Marin Gillis 2014

Authors and Affiliations

  • Inmaculada de Melo-Martin
  • Marin Gillis

There are no affiliations available

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