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Human embryo research and the 14-day rule.
1The Jackson Laboratory, 600 Main Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA martin.pera@jax.org.
Development (Cambridge, England)
|June 1, 2017
Summary
The 14-day rule for human embryo culture is being re-evaluated. Advances in embryo culture and stem cell research challenge the original rationale for this long-standing scientific and ethical guideline.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Stem Cell Biology
- Bioethics
Background:
- International regulations, including the 14-day rule, restrict human embryo culture duration.
- Recent advancements in in vitro human embryo culture have achieved development up to the 14-day limit.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the historical basis of the 14-day rule.
- To assess the current relevance of the 14-day rule in light of scientific progress.
Main Methods:
- Review of the scientific literature and ethical discussions surrounding the 14-day rule.
- Analysis of recent breakthroughs in human embryo culture techniques.
- Consideration of novel methods for deriving human embryonic-like structures from pluripotent stem cells.
Main Results:
- The original scientific and ethical justifications for the 14-day rule are being questioned.
- New research demonstrates the feasibility of culturing human embryos to or beyond 14 days.
- The derivation of human embryonic-like structures from stem cells presents new biological models.
Conclusions:
- The 14-day rule may no longer be scientifically appropriate given current capabilities.
- Revisiting the 14-day rule is necessary to align regulations with scientific advancements.
- Ethical considerations must adapt to new possibilities in human embryo and stem cell research.
