[go: up one dir, main page]
More Web Proxy on the site http://driver.im/ Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

The Ethical Dilemma of Embryonic Stem Cell Research

  • Published:
Science and Engineering Ethics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

To determine the knowledge, attitude, and ethical concerns of medical students and graduates with regard to Embryonic Stem Cell (ESC) research. This questionnaire based descriptive study was conducted at the Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK), Pakistan from February to July 2008. A well structured questionnaire was administered to medical students and graduate doctors, which included their demographic profile as well as questions in line with the study objective. Informed consent was taken and full confidentiality was assured to the participants. Data were entered in a Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version.12) and analyzed. A total of 204 male and 216 female medical students and doctors were administered questionnaires out of which 105 males (51.4%) and 108 females (50%) were aware of the embryonic stem cell research and its ethical implications. Forty percent males and 47% of females were of the opinion that life begins at conception. Forty-six percent males and 39% females were in favor of stem cell research while only 31% males and 28% females supported the ESC research. Less than 1/3 of students supported using frozen embryos for research purposes while more than 2/3 indicated that they were unlikely to support abortion for stem cell research purposes. The majority of the students were in favor of stem cell research with some reservations regarding ESC research. A sizeable number of students withheld their views, reflecting their poor understanding of medical ethics. The result of the study indicates a need for incorporating bioethics into the medical curriculum.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
£29.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price includes VAT (United Kingdom)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aslam, F., Qayyum, M. A., Mahmud, H., Qasim, R., & Haque, I. U. (2004). Attitudes and practices of postgraduate medical trainees towards research—a snapshot from Faisalabad. The Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association, 54(10), 534–536.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bjuresten, K., & Hovatta, O. (2003). Donation of embryos for stem cell research-how many couples consent? Human Reproduction, 18, 1353–1355.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Choudhary, M., Haimes, E., Herbert, M., Stojkovic, M., & Murdoch, A. P. (2004). Demographic, medical and treatment characteristics associated with couples’ decisions to donate fresh spare embryos for research. Human Reproduction, 19(9), 2091–2096.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, C. B. (2000). Use of “excess” human embryos for stem cell research: Protecting women’s rights and health. Women’s Health Issues, 10(3), 121–126.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, S. (1996). The destiny of supernumerary embryos? Fertility and Sterility, 65, 205–206.

    Google Scholar 

  • Daar, A. S., Bhatt, A., Court, E., & Singer, P. A. (2004). Stem cell research and transplantation: Science leading ethics. Transplantation Proceedings, 36, 2504–2506.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DeLacey, S. (2005). Parent identity and “virtual” children: Why patients discard rather than donate unused embryos. Human Reproduction, 20, 1661–1669.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doerflinger, R. (1999). Destructive stem-cell research on human embryos. Origins, 28, 769–773.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eiges, R., & Benvenisty, N. (2002). A molecular review on pluripotent stem cells. FEBS Letters, 529(1), 135–141.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Galli, R., Borello, U., Gritti, A., Minasi, M. G., Bjornson, C., Coletta, M., et al. (2000). Skeletal myogenic potential of human and mouse neural stem cells. Nature Neuroscience, 3, 986–991.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gepstein, L. (2002). Derivation and potential applications of human embryonic stem cells. Circulation Research, 91, 866–876.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hansen, J. E. S. (2002). Embryonic stem cell production through therapeutic cloning has fewer ethical problems than stem cell harvest from surplus IVF embryos. Journal of Medical Ethics, 28(2), 86–88.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hingorjo, M. R., Syed, S., Qureshi, M. A., & Kumar, A. (2007). Current trends in type 1 diabetes mellitus—stem cells and beyond. The Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association, 57(12), 603–606.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hug, K. (2005). Sources of human embryos for stem cell research: Ethical problems and their possible solutions. Medicina (Kaunas), 41(12), 1002–1010.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klock, S., Sheinen, S., & Kazer, R. (2001). The disposition of unused frozen embryos. New England Journal of Medicine, 345, 69–70.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laruelle, C., & Englert, Y. (1995). Psychological study of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer participants’ attitudes toward the destiny of their supernumerary embryos. Fertility and Sterility, 63, 1047–1050.

    Google Scholar 

  • McMahon, C., Gibson, F., Cohen, J., Leslie, G., Tennant, C., & Saunders, D. (2000). Mothers conceiving through in vitro fertilization: Siblings, setbacks and embryo dilemmas after five years. Reproductive Technology, 10, 131–135.

    Google Scholar 

  • McMahon, C., Gibson, F., Leslie, G., Saunders, D., Porter, K., & Tennant, C. (2003). Embryo donation for medical research: attitudes and concerns of potential donors. Human Reproduction, 18, 871–877.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Newton, C. R., Fisher, J., Feyles, V., Tekpetey, F., Hughes, L., & Isacsson, D. (2007). Changes in patient preferences in the disposal of cryopreserved embryos. Human Reproduction, 22(12), 3124–3128.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oghoetuoma, J., McKeating, C., Horne, G., Brison, D., & Lieberman, B. (2000). Use of in vitro fertilization embryos cryopreserved for 5 years or more. Lancet, 355, 1336.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parry, S. (2006). Reconstructing embryos in stem cell research: Exploring the meaning of embryos for people involved in fertility treatments. Social Science and Medicine, 62, 2349–2359.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reubinoff, B. E., Pera, M., Fong, C. Y., Trounson, A., & Bongso, A. (2000). Embryonic stem cell lines from human blastocyst: Somatic differentiation in vitro. Nature Biotechnology, 18, 399–404.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saniei, M., & DeVries, R. (2008). Embryonic stem cell research in Iran: Status and ethics. Indian Journal of Medical Ethics, 5(4), 181–184.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomson, J. A., ItskovitzElder, J., Shapiro, S. S., Waknitz, M. A., Swiergiel, J. J., Marshall, V. S., et al. (1998). Embryonic stem cells derived from human blastocysts. Science, 282, 1142–1145.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • VanVoorhis, B., Grinstead, D., Sparks, A., Gerard, J., & Weir, R. (1999). Establishment of a successful donor embryo program: Medical, ethical and policy issues. Fertility and Sterility, 71, 601–608.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wert, G. D., & Mummery, C. (2003a). Human embryonic stem cells: Research, ethics and policy. Human Reproduction, 18(4), 672–682.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wert, G., & Mummery, C. (2003b). Human embryonic stem cells: Research, ethics and policy. Human Reproduction, 18, 672–682.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors are greatly indebted to Prof. Dr. Manzar Saleem, Head of Department of Surgery, CHK and Sajid Hussain for their assistance in completion of this study.

Conflict of interest

None to declare.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dow University of Health Sciences, Baba-e-Urdu Road, Karachi, Pakistan

    Nabeel Manzar, Bushra Manzar, Nuzhat Hussain, M. Fawwad Ahmed Hussain & Sajjad Raza

Authors
  1. Nabeel Manzar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Bushra Manzar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Nuzhat Hussain
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. M. Fawwad Ahmed Hussain
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Sajjad Raza
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nabeel Manzar.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Manzar, N., Manzar, B., Hussain, N. et al. The Ethical Dilemma of Embryonic Stem Cell Research. Sci Eng Ethics 19, 97–106 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11948-011-9326-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11948-011-9326-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation