Constructing an ethical framework for embryo donation to research: Is it time for a restricted consent policy?

Abstract

An Ethics & Policy Workshop was held with 20 invited UK stakeholders to consider whether embryo donors should be able to restrict the future use of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) created from their embryos. Participants cited tensions between pure altruism and a more reciprocal basis for donation; and between basic research (in which genetic material would never form part of another living being) and treatment applications. Two restriction models were suggested to acknowledge specific ethical issues raised by hESCs' use in research and treatments: (1) a two tier system: hESCs with unrestricted consent could go to the UK Stem Cell Bank; those with restricted consent could be used in individual labs which could guarantee to honour the restrictions, and Bank deposit would not be required. (2) a three category system: restrictions could include (i) basic hESC research; (ii) hESC research and treatment; no gamete derivation (iii) ‘unrestricted’ hESC research and treatment.

Keywords:

• Donation
• embryonic stem cells
• bioethics

Acknowledgements

Authors thank all the participants in the workshop and the project, and the Wellcome Trust Biomedical Ethics Programme for funding the project (Grant No. 081414). KE thanks the NIHR King's PSSQ Research Centre for time to work on this article. Further details of the project can be accessed at: http://kcl.ac.uk/schools/sspp/interdisciplinary/cbas/research/projects/emb.html

Note

1. More information about the study can be found in Ehrich et al. (2010a,b) and in a short report accessible on the project website at http://www.kcl.ac.uk/schools/sspp/interdisciplinary/cbas/research/projects/emb.html