ISSN Print: 2151-805X
ISSN Online: 2151-8068
A Framework for Assessment and Management of Ethical Risks Related to Stem Cell Use in Tissue Engineering
ABSTRACT
No progress can ever be made without risk-taking. The discovery of stem cells and their improved handling brought new perspectives in tissue engineering. Nonetheless, whatever the method used to obtain stem cells (embryonic, from embryos got naturally, or by in vitro fertilization, produced by somatic cell nuclear transfer, by inducing pluripotent stem cells, or supplied by harvesting adult stem cells), their use in therapy, even through tissue engineered products, remains questionable due to the anticipated or unexpected risks. Both professionals in medicine and ethicists agree that the current biomedical technologies present indeed an element of risk, although it cannot be exactly described, nor anticipated. The major source of risk resides in the huge pressure made by the civil society representing the patients, as well as by the research policy makers, due to promising initial results in stem cell research and their application in tissue engineering. Throughout the debates on the implicit risks, several categories have been considered: health, socio-political, and moral risks. If approached from a bioethical perspective, all these categories intertwine. This paper aims to suggest a framework for assessment and management of ethical risks related to stem cell use in tissue engineering.
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de Kanter Anne-Floor Johanna, Jongsma Karin Rolanda, Verhaar Marianne C, Bredenoord Annelien L, The Ethical Implications of Tissue Engineering for Regenerative Purposes: A Systematic Review, Tissue Engineering Part B: Reviews, 2022. Crossref