Human Fetal Tissue Research: The Use of Discarded Human Fetuses for Research

BERT RYAN T. LIM

BSMT 3C Medical Technology Laws and Bioethics October 12, 2012 Atty, Joe Vinson M. Empases

Despite religious views, using discarded human fetuses for research is ethical. Instead of simply disposing the aborted fetus there is the chance of finding a cure and changing millions of lives.

Fetal research is the exploration of fetal tissues. In this paper aborted fetuses will be the topic of discussion. Fetal tissue research involves cells from dead fetuses that are harvested for the purpose of establishing cell lines or for use as transplantation material and other purposes. (1). This type of research has led to the discovery of many different things, including: vaccines, diagnostic techniques, and treatment of maternal hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes. There are many types of research that use human fetuses. First is general fetal research. General fetal research is used to develop vaccines and to study characteristics of human development. Fetal tissue research is research involving transplantation of multipotent cells (2). Fetal tissue research is being used to develop potential treatments for conditions, such as diabetes and Parkinsons disease. Lastly in vitro research is being conducted. This is being used to understand and develop treatments for infertility. Research involving human fetuses is very controversial. Religious beliefs oppose the idea of this kind of research. Extraordinary results are coming from the studies being done, but views of all people must be considered.

Many people are against human fetuses being used for medical research. Many people have this belief because of religious views, or because of a learned perspective. It is considered inhumane and gruesome. These people believe that researches are treating the most vulnerable members of the human community, the unborn, as disposable instruments to be used for someone elses benefit (3). They also feel funding research that deliberately destroys one human being so another may benefit is not only a serious moral wrong, it is unnecessary (4). It is believed that

Human Fetal Tissue Research: The Use of Discarded Human Fetuses for Research

mothers are encouraged to abort their unborn child in order for research to be done. Opponents of fetal tissue research were that women might be pressurized into terminating a pregnancy in order to provide fetal material (5). People believe that abortions are planned by these researchers in order to fill there needs of materials ongoing collaboration with induced abortion and is therefore complicit with the intentional destruction of prenatal human beings (6). It is thought that all human beings are human beings, born or unborn. All human beings should have proper consent of the bodies being used for medical research, a mother who seeks an abortion cannot legitimately consent to the use of her childs body just as a mother who conspires to kill a born child cannot consent to the use of her childs body(7). In other words aborting an unborn child is being compared to a mother murdering a living child. Even practicing neurosurgeon believes that the use of fetuses for research is morally wrong. It has also been suggested that using fetal tissue from induced abortions is morally identical to organ donation from victims of auto accidents. This analogy fails to take into account the clear difference between intentional and accidental death.(8), this is an understandable view, abortions are a decision unlike the deaths in a car accident. In conclusion many people disagree with aborted human fetuses being used for medical research. It is a mothers decision to abort an unborn child. There is certain protocol that must be followed when a sample is being processed in order to eliminate tainting. The ethical perspectives from which to view the clinical use of fetal tissue include the following: 1) that fetal tissue from elective abortions is a surgical specimen; 2) that the use of such tissue involves fetal experimentation in which the fetus is a subject; and 3) that fetal tissue is considered as a cadaveric organ specimen, similar to other organs(9), these are the ethical views of fetal tissues, these views allow medical professionals to processes samples and make a ultimately find a cure. Elective abortions, however, probably will continue to be the primary source of fetal tissue for grafting for some time, until other tissue sources become available(10), this proposes the idea that eventually researchers may not need to use aborted fetuses for studies, but until then they are what researchers have to use. When human fetuses are used for studies there is a large advantage compared to when animal organs are used. It is easier to understand what will work for humans when a human is being used when the research is being conducted. Although many animals have similar organs and may have a similar reaction to humans, there is still a risk. Some people may

Human Fetal Tissue Research: The Use of Discarded Human Fetuses for Research

argue that cadaver organs could be used for this type of research. That could be possible if the cadaver had not passed due to illness. Cadavers often have damaged organs that are of no use to medical research. Fetuses have unharmed healthy organs, allowing for an ultimately accurate and accommodating result. Also cells taken at a stage of embryo development have the potential to differentiate into all of the different tissue types of an organism (11), when we use these cells we can grow or repair adult organs. This could save thousands of lives.

In conclusion the use of human fetuses is ethical. In order for medical research to advance we need to use what is given to us. If a mother chooses to abort an unborn child, the unborn child should have a purpose and help save thousands of lives. Putting what would simply be disposed to great use will make a world of difference. At this current moment in time, this research is what will bring us closer to finding a cure to chronic diseases.

(1) National Research Council. "Setting the Stage: Fetal Research, Fetal Tissue Research, and Historical Timeline of Regulation and Legislation." Fetal Research and Applications: A Conference Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 1994. 1. Print. (2) Boonstra, Heather. "Human Embryo and Fetal Research: Medical Support and Political Controversy." Human Embryo and Fetal Research: Medical Support and Political Controversy. Http://www.guttmacher.org/index.html, Feb. 2001. Web. 20 May 2012. <http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/tgr/04/1/gr040103.html>. (3, 4) Klusendorf, Scott. "Fetal Tissue and Embryo Stem Cell Research." Stand To Reason. Web (5) Anderson, Fionn. "Attitudes of Women to Fetal Tissue Research." 20 (1994): 36-40. Journal of Medical Ethics, 1994. Web. 20 May 2012. <http://jme.bmj.com/content/20/1/36.full.pdf>. (6,7) "Support for Aborted Fetal Tissue Research Is Incompatible with Pro Life Principle." Proc. of Nebraska Catholic Conference, Nebraska, Lincoln. 21 Mar. 2001. Web. 20 May 2012. <http://www.nebcathcon.org/fetal_tissue.htm>. (8) Doran, Stephen E. "Favoring Fetal-Cell Use Is Plainly Not Pro-Life." Proc. of Nebraska Catholic Conference, Nebraska, Lincoln. 3 Apr. 2003. Web. 20 May 2012. <http://www.nebcathcon.org/fetal_tissue.htm>. (9,10) Turner, Dennis A. Neurosurgery 33.6 (1993). 1993. Web. 20 May 2012. <http://journals.lww.com/neurosurgery/Abstract/1993/12000/Scientific_and_Ethical_Concerns_in_Neura l_Fetal.11.aspx>. (11 ) Gearheart, John. "New Potential for Human Embryonic Stem Cells." Science AAS 282.5391 (1998): 1061-062. Print.

Human Fetal Tissue Research: The Use of Discarded Human Fetuses for Research