Human stem-cell research in gastroenterology: experimental treatment, tourism and biobanking

The growing interest in the possibility of applying stem-cell therapies to gastroenterological diseases is outlined. Some promising results have been reported, but more research is needed in view of the uncertainties and knowledge gaps that still exist. The ethical issues raised by this kind of research are then indicated and classified. Three problematic kinds of situation are outlined: experimental treatments, stem-cell tourism and biobanking. A four-question approach - which is not to be confused with the well-known four-principle approach introduced by Beauchamp and Childress - is described and applied to these three challenging situations. In conclusion, it is pointed out that the analysis of these situations illustrates the interplay between definitions, empirical research and ethics. They are interrelated and need to be integrated.