MRC National Institute for Medical Research, London
Science for Health
Ethical considerations in pluripotent stem cell-derived gamete research
09 July 2009
Recent research suggests that it may be possible to derive gametes from a variety of pluripotent stem cell (PSC) sources. Though scientific obstacles remain, the ability to create PSC-derived gametes raises a number of challenging ethical and policy issues that must be considered, including their use in research and for creating embryos, and access to reproductive services based on PSC-derived gametes.
Robin Lovell-Badge (pictured), head of NIMR's Division of Stem Cell Biology and Developmental Genetics, and members of the Hinxton Group have reviewed the ethical and policy challenges posed by pluripotent stem cell-derived gametes and produced a list of seven recommendations for policy-makers.
The Hinxton Group is an informal, international and interdisciplinary group established to explore the ethical and policy challenges of transnational scientific collaboration raised by variations in national regulations governing embryo research and stem cell science. It is coordinated by a US/UK steering committee.
PSC-derived gamete research does and will raise a variety of ethical and policy challenges, yet the public debate has not yet begun in most countries. Societies need to begin discussing the issues raised by derived gamete research and its potential applications and doing the work necessary to determine the best policy response to the risks, benefits, and potential moral concerns involved.
Robin Lovell-Badge
Original article
The recommendations are published in full in:
Mathews DJ, Donovan PJ, Harris J, Lovell-Badge R, Savulescu J, Faden R. (2009)
Pluripotent stem cell-derived gametes: truth and (potential) consequences
Cell Stem Cell 5(1), 11-14. Publisher abstract
See also
External links
News categories
© MRC National Institute for Medical Research
The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA
Top of page