The ethical issues related to stem cells The

The ethical issues related to stem cells The problems: - Obtaining of stem cells - Cultivation - Transplantation

Obtaining stem cells • Destruct the fertilized egg or embryo at the early stage of development • Criticized • Embryo considers as a human being • "The Universal Declaration of Human Rights" (1948) • "International Convention for Civil and Political Rights" (1966)

Laws • “The American Convention on Human Rights”(1969) - “Everyone has the right for respect for his life” • European laws has prohibited since 1997: - The obtaining stem cells for research purposes

Medicine • Degenerative diseases - Millions suffer and die • Jean Bernard’s (1930) two revolutions in medicine: - Therapy - Biological • Genetic code or genomic medicine

Experiments • 1997, Wilmot: - cloned the sheep Dolly • 1998, Thompson proved: - Stem cells from blastocysts • Possibility to threat degenerative diseases • At least to minimize the suffer

The international law • To use “Extra” blastocysts for research purposes: - agreement of spouses or only mother - agreement of national research protocol or institutional review board - exclude the sale or purchase of the embryo - preserve the anonymity of the donor - Data on the genetic should not know either the donor or recipient

To use “extra” blastocycsts for research purposes • It allowed in 6 countries: -U. S. (2001), UK (2001), Finland (1993), Greece (2002), Holland (2002) and Sweden (1991) • It banned in 5 countries: - Austria (1992), Denmark (1992), France (1994), Ireland (1983), Spain (1988) • It did not legislate: in Italy, Portugal, and in Russia • Germany allows to import of embryonic stem cells

5 principles of European Union should be followed in testing stem cells in clinics 1) The principle of respect for human dignity; 2) the principle of individual; 3) the principle of fairness and useless; 4) the principle of freedom of research; 5) the principle of proportionality;