Event Description
The promise of stem cells to treat a host of human degenerative diseases has been touted by scientists and patients alike. This field is moving so rapidly that to establish ethical guidelines for the conduct of research is extraordinarily challenging. If embryonic stem cells tailored to individual patients are truly the elixir of life, then the use of unneeded human oocytes and embryos might be acceptable to some. But research is a slow process, with progress often measured in tiny increments. How far should society go to pursue the promise of stem cells?
Following this lecture, participants should be able to:
- Understand the ethical issues surrounding the use of stem cells for therapeutic purposes.
- Describe the barriers to establishing ethical guidelines for the conduct of stem cell research.
Commentators
Prof. Susan M. Wolf, JD
Consortium on Law and Values in Health, Environment & the Life Sciences, University of Minnesota
Prof. Carol Tauer, PhD
Center for Bioethics, University of Minnesota
Prof. Steve Calvin, MD
Program in Human Rights and Medicine, University of Minnesota