ISSN 打印: 2151-805X
ISSN 在线: 2151-8068
Eggs on the Market
摘要
Human embryonic stem cell research requires the use of human oocytes, and, for now, women are the best source of these oocytes. Although women who donate oocytes for reproductive purposes are compensated at a usual rate of between $5,000 and $10,000 per retrieval cycle, women who undergo the same procedures and commit the same amount of time to donate oocytes for research are generally not compensated beyond direct expenses. This inconsistency has generated continued debate. Some scholars rightly worry about the potential for exploitation of poor women in the United States and developing countries if a market for oocytes developed, and they believe that restricting compensation will avoid this problem. I argue that while there are important ethical concerns about commercial exchanges of oocytes, including concerns about exploitation, the ethical arguments do not warrant prohibiting compensation of women who give their eggs in either reproductive or research contexts as long as fair policies govern the market exchange of eggs.