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Patenting humans: clones, chimeras, and biological artifacts
1Stanford University, Program in Human Biology, Building 80, Stanford, CA 94305-2160, USA. ethics@stanford.edu
Science and Engineering Ethics
|February 25, 2005
Summary
Advances in developmental biology raise patenting dilemmas for human development. A proposed Altered Nuclear Transfer technique could ethically source embryonic stem cells from non-organismal entities.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Bioethics
- Intellectual Property Law
Background:
- The history of life form patents reflects biological advancements.
- Increasing control over developmental biology presents new ethical challenges, particularly concerning human parts and developmental trajectories.
- The moral status of early human embryos is a current point of ethical conflict.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine recent embryological evidence regarding the moral status of early human development.
- To propose a framework for ethically sourcing embryonic stem cells.
- To consider criteria for patenting novel biological entities.
Main Methods:
- Review of current embryological studies.
- Analysis of the concept of unbroken continuity of organismal development from fertilization.
- Proposal of a novel technique: Altered Nuclear Transfer (ANT).
Main Results:
- Assertion of unbroken organismal development from fertilization as grounds for moral standing.
- Proposal that ANT could create non-organismal entities for ethical stem cell procurement.
- Consideration of patenting criteria for these novel entities.
Conclusions:
- Embryological continuity supports moral consideration for early human development.
- Altered Nuclear Transfer offers a potential ethical pathway for obtaining embryonic stem cells.
- Establishing patenting criteria for ANT-derived entities is crucial for navigating future bioethical landscapes.