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Ethical issues and public communication in the development of cell-based treatments for COVID-19: Lessons from the

Leigh Turner1, Megan Munsie2, Aaron D Levine3

  • 1Department of Health, Society, and Behavior, Program in Public Health and Stem Cell Research Center, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.

Stem Cell Reports
|October 15, 2021
PubMed

Insights

The development of cell-based therapies for coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) requires careful ethical consideration and transparent communication. Rushed approaches risk undermining scientific integrity and public trust in novel treatments.

Area of Science:

  • Biomedical Ethics
  • Regenerative Medicine
  • Infectious Disease Therapeutics

Background:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic spurred rapid development of novel cell-based therapies.
  • While some trials are rigorous, the field faces challenges with unsubstantiated claims and ethical breaches.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To critically examine the ethical issues and public communication challenges in developing cell-based COVID-19 therapeutics.
  • To provide recommendations for improving ethical conduct and communication in cell-based clinical investigations.

Main Methods:

  • Critical analysis of ethical considerations in cell-based COVID-19 therapy development.
  • Review of public communication strategies and their impact on research integrity.

Main Results:

  • The pursuit of cell-based COVID-19 treatments has been marred by exaggerated claims and disregard for regulatory and ethical standards.
  • Distorted communication of research findings has eroded public trust.

Conclusions:

  • Advocates against the premature advancement of cell-based interventions due to ethical and communication concerns.
  • Proposes strategies to enhance ethical practices and public engagement in cell-based therapeutic research.
Keywords:
COVID-19FDAFTCpublic communicationtherapeutic hypeunproven stem cell interventions

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