Introduction
Stem cell research is a controversial field full of ethical concerns. Humans desire to live long and healthy lives and one way to do so is to regain the functions of organs or to regenerate organs (Okka, 2015). Stem cell research is the field of medicine that promises such hopes. Ethical issues arise from many areas, including the sources of stem cells. The public has always had a divided opinion regarding the morality of such initiatives. This essay describes the ethical issues in the field, human protection, and informed consent. A background to stem cell research and recommendations on how to handle the ethical concerns will also be presented.
Background to Stem Cell Research
Stem cell research has been practiced for over three decades where scientists have been working with embryonic stem cells. Scientists have since discovered a way of developing two kinds of stem cells namely embryonic and non-embryonic or adult (Begum & Khan, 2017). Current research is focusing on human stem cell research, which explains the regulatory and ethical challenges. In their survey, scientists are trying to address genetic disorders by modeling stem cell-based human tissues and therapies or even organ transplantation. Additionally, researchers are developing products to be used in regenerative medicine (Farajkhoda, 2017). Success in this field will mean new approaches to treating tumors, diabetes, spinal cord injuries, and Parkinson’s disease among others.
Ethical Issues
The ethical issues in stem cell research emanate from the different applications some of which could ruin a life. According to Begum and Khan (2017), embryonic stem cell research or human stem cell research involves destroying human embryos. The ethical problem is that life is deemed to begin at conception, the same principle that renders practices such as abortion unethical. The concept of public ethics delineates two types of ethical positions: quality of life and sanctity of it. The position of the latter is that embryos are human beings whose rights are inviolable. On the other hand, the quality of life worldview adopts a utilitarian approach where if the research could be used to alleviate suffering, then it would be unethical not to pursue it (Allum et al., 2017). Utilitarians believe that nothing is intrinsically good or evil but everything is open to evidence and experimentation (MacKinnon & Fiala, 2018). From such a perspective, stem cell research can only be unethical or evil if evidence suggests so. However, the main ethical dilemma is deciding when human life starts, which would then determine whether or not embryos can be regarded as human beings.
In stem cell transplantation (comprising cells derived from pluripotent stem cells), the ethical concerns emanate from the potential risks involved. Roque clinicians offer therapies not backed by credible scientific rationale and without oversight, transparency, and patient protections (Begum & Khan, 2017). According to Farajkhoda (2017), such transplantations involving genetic manipulations for the derivation of iPS cells possess the risk of immunological reactions, tumorigenicity, and toxicity. Other major ethical issues are human protection and informed consent.
Human Protections
The protection of human subjects entails making sure patients are not subjected to the risks involved in practices such as transplantation without a credible scientific background. The dangers like toxicity and tumorigenicity, as described by Farajkhoda (2017), could cause fatalities of extreme human suffering. Human subject protection can be enhanced through strict regulations in the application of stem cells. According to Gopalan, Noor, and Mohamed (2018), stem cell regulation across the world seeks to ensure that adequate research is conducted before clinical trials. The focus of such laws extends to the limitation of the areas that can be exploited.
Informed Consent
One of the most controversial ethical concerns in stem cell research is informed consent. According to Begum and Khan (2017), it is a basic requirement for all research involving humans. In stem cell research, it serves to protect individuals donating organs or embryos for use either in research or therapy. Materials that cannot be liked by a donor may require a waiver of the informed consent. In reproduction, informed consent for gamete donors is also required if the embryos and oocytes are to be used in stem cell research. Advance directives are prepared ahead of time to allow caregivers to comprehend the wishes of the patient and to obtain informed consent from a patient who is severely ill and unable to communicate.
Recommendations
Several recommendations can ensure ethical choices are made in stem cell research. The first recommendation is that a clear directive on when human life begins and how to treat embryos should be given. Secondly, a guideline for determining when research is adequate to warrant a clinical trial should be developed. Thirdly, innovative approaches should pass certain regulatory requirements before their application. The fourth recommendation is that the applications of stem cell research should be restricted to medical uses only. Lastly, it is recommended that the health risks of the donor should be kept at acceptable levels where cases with excessive threats should not be pursued.
Conclusion
Stem cell research is a controversial issue mainly because it involves using human embryos. Such practices could be seen as a destruction of human lives if the embryos are to be considered human beings with inviolable rights. Additionally, the health risks involved in the application of stem cell research in therapy raise regulatory and ethical concerns. The protection of human subjects and informed consent are also discussed as critical problems in the field of stem cell research.
References
Allum, N., Allansdottir, A., Gaskell, G., Hampel, J., Jackson, J., Moldovan, A., … Stoneman, P. (2017). Religion and the public ethics of stem-cell research: Attitudes in Europe, Canada, and the United States. PLoS One, 12(4), e0176274.
Begum, M., & Khan, F. A. (2017). Ethical issues in the stem cells research – An updated review. International Journal Of Medical Science and Clinical Invention, 4(2), 2662–2669.
Farajkhoda, T. (2017). An overview on ethical considerations in stem cell research in Iran and ethical recommendations. International Journal of Reproductive Biomedicine, 15(2), 67–74.
Gopalan, N., Noor, S. N. M., & Mohamed, M. S. (2018). Global human embryonic stem cell laws and policies and their influence on stem cell tourism. Biotechnology Law Report, 37(5), 255–269.
MacKinnon, B., & Fiala, A. (2018). Ethics: Theory and conteporary issues. Boston: Cengage Learning.
Okka, B. (2015). Ethical conflicts in stem cell research and education. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 176, 1071–1077.