The Moral Status of the Embryo Flashcards
1
Q
Why Consider the Moral Status of the Embryo?
- Unresolved moral debates over the … and … of human embryos
- Views on this issue link in to views on other ethically contentious issues such as …
- These debates are … as well as personal, … as well and individual.
- Because this area of science and medicine is rapidly expanding there are new issues emerging all the time, such as …
A
- Unresolved moral debates over the significance and status of human embryos
- Views on this issue link in to views on other ethically contentious issues e.g. abortion, cloning, stem cell research
- These debates are political as well as personal, national as well and individual.
- Because this area of science and medicine is rapidly expanding there are new issues emerging all the time, e.g. Mitochondrial transplant, research, IVF…
2
Q
Asking The Correct Question - Moral Status of Embryo
- When does life …?
- or
- When does life … … …?
- or
- What … a life … …?
A
- When does life begin?
- or
- When does life become morally significant?
- or
- What makes a life morally significant?
3
Q
History of Legislation - Moral Status of the Embryo
- Report of the committee of Enquiry in to Human Fertilisation and Embryology 1984
- https://www.bioeticacs.org/iceb/documentos/Warnock_Report_of_the_Committee_of_Inquiry_into_Human_Fertilisation_and_Embryology_1984.pdf
- Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1990/37/contents
- Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority 1991
- http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1991/1889/contents/made
- House of Commons Science and Technology Committee Human Reproductive Technologies and the Law, 2004-5
- http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200405/cmselect/cmsctech/7/7i.pdf
- Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 came into force October 2009
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2008/22/contents
- To keep up to date check in to http://www.hfea.gov.uk/
- The Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Mitochondrial Donation) Regulations 2015
- http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2015/9780111125816/contents
- HFEA – Guidelines on Surrogacy: https://www.hfea.gov.uk/treatments/explore-all-treatments/surrogacy/
A
- Report of the committee of Enquiry in to Human Fertilisation and Embryology 1984
- https://www.bioeticacs.org/iceb/documentos/Warnock_Report_of_the_Committee_of_Inquiry_into_Human_Fertilisation_and_Embryology_1984.pdf
- Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1990/37/contents
- Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority 1991
- http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1991/1889/contents/made
- House of Commons Science and Technology Committee Human Reproductive Technologies and the Law, 2004-5
- http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200405/cmselect/cmsctech/7/7i.pdf
- Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 came into force October 2009
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2008/22/contents
- To keep up to date check in to http://www.hfea.gov.uk/
- The Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Mitochondrial Donation) Regulations 2015
- http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2015/9780111125816/contents
- HFEA – Guidelines on Surrogacy: https://www.hfea.gov.uk/treatments/explore-all-treatments/surrogacy/
4
Q
Abortion Act 1967
- While it permits abortion, it also includes provision to enable medical staff or physicians to … … to participating in the provision of abortion and … … from a particular legal and professional duty to participate in it’s provision.
- In this way - it is a response to the idea that there is a proportion of the population that see something … significant with …
A
- While it permits abortion, it also includes provision to enable medical staff or physicians to conscientiously object to participating in the provision of abortion and exempt themselves from a particular legal and professional duty to participate in it’s provision.
- In this way - it is a response to the idea that there is a proportion of the population that see something morally significant with embryos
5
Q
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990
- Similar provision to … Act … - suggests a proportion of population believe there is something morally significant with …
A
- Similar provision to Abortion Act 1967 - suggests a proportion of population believe there is something morally significant with embryos
6
Q
The Committee of Inquiry into Human Fertilisation and Embryology
- Convened in July 1982, chaired by Dame Mary Warnock
- “to examine the …, … and … implications of recent, and potential developments in the field of human assisted …”
- Published The … Report in 1984
- Explored the ethical considerations behind a range of issues in embryology, including;
- The ethical status of emerging … … (… first successful in 1978)
- D.., f…, and use of e.., e.., s…
- S…
- R…
- Explored the ethical considerations behind a range of issues in embryology, including;
- Recommended the current … day limit on research on embryos
- Led to the 1990 … … … Act (HFEA)
A
- Convened in July 1982, chaired by Dame Mary Warnock
- “to examine the social, ethical and legal implications of recent, and potential developments in the field of human assisted reproduction”
- Published The Warnock Report in 1984
- Explored the ethical considerations behind a range of issues in embryology, including;
- The ethical status of emerging reproductive technologies (IVF first successful in 1978)
- Donation, freezing, and use of eggs, embryos, sperm
- Surrogacy
- Research
- Explored the ethical considerations behind a range of issues in embryology, including;
- Recommended the current 14 day limit on research on embryos
- Led to the 1990 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act (HFEA)
7
Q
What is the 14 day limit on research on embryos? and why is it recommended?
A
- It stipulates that human embryos, for whatever purpose, should not be grown in vitro for longer than 14 days after the point of fertilisation
- 14 day limit is very important – before possibility of twinning (Fourteen days was the point at which an embryo could no longer split into two identical twins, requiring two souls and not just one soul between them)
- Justification is that prior to this stage, the embryo isn’t part of a continuum for an identifiable future person.
8
Q
“The Warnock Committee”: Objective
- To establish how we should … the human …
- Combination of … and … questions about this - can be interpreted differently by different people - therefore must be resolved / regulated through …
A
- To establish how we should treat the human embryo
- Combination of factual and moral questions about this - can be interpreted differently by different people - therefore must be resolved / regulated through policy
- “Although the questions of when life or personhood begin to appear to be questions of fact susceptible of straightforward answers, we hold that the answers to such questions in fact are complex amalgams of factual and moral judgements. Instead of answering these questions directly we have gone straight to the question of how it is right to treat the human embryo.”
- Combination of factual and moral questions about this - can be interpreted differently by different people - therefore must be resolved / regulated through policy
Warnock 11.9 pg 60
9
Q
What is Moral Status?
- “An entity has moral status if and only if it or its interests morally matter to some degree for the entity’s … sake.”
- … view: Having moral status means that one’s interests (extent, duration of pleasures/pains etc) must be factored into the utility calculations of other people/society as a whole.
- … view: Having moral status means that there are reasons, independent of the consequences, for treating an entity with respect, and acting
A
- “An entity has moral status if and only if it or its interests morally matter to some degree for the entity’s own sake.”
- Utilitarian: Having moral status means that one’s interests (extent, duration of pleasures/pains etc) must be factored into the utility calculations of other people/society as a whole.
- Non-Utilitarian: Having moral status means that there are reasons, independent of the consequences, for treating an entity with respect, and acting
10
Q
Warnock’s Position - Moral Status of Embryo
- “there is no particular part of the developmental process that is more important than another; all are part of a continuous process, and unless each stage takes place normally, at the correct time, and in the correct sequence, further development will cease. Thus biologically there is no one single identifiable stage in the development of the embryo beyond which the in vitro embryo should not be kept alive.”
- This acknowledges the fact that embryonic development is a … - diffificult to … the biologically significant … … of moral status - need some kind of moral … of when we can … status.
A
- “there is no particular part of the developmental process that is more important than another; all are part of a continuous process, and unless each stage takes place normally, at the correct time, and in the correct sequence, further development will cease. Thus biologically there is no one single identifiable stage in the development of the embryo beyond which the in vitro embryo should not be kept alive.”
- This acknowledges the fact that embryonic development is a continuum - diffificult to differentiate the biologically significant starting point of moral status - need some kind of moral justification of when we can assign status.
11
Q
One Consideration on Warnock - Moral Status of the Embryo
- “producing watertight philosophical reasoning and dispensing moral expertise was not the committee’s self-stated mission. Instead, as Warnock herself argued, the aim was to facilitate a dialogue and process by which the plurality of dissenting moral views could somehow forge a workable policy decision.”
- “Thus, as Nelson comments, the choice of the 14-day cut-off “…did not reflect an overwhelming national feeling that individuation is an essential property of a member of the human species. On the contrary, utilitarian considerations concerning potential research benefits played an explicit role in the Committee’s judgment about this matter.” (1)
- Chan S. A bioethics for all seasons. J Med Ethics. 2015 Jan 1;41(1):17–21.
- What does this mean?
- 14 day cut off - helps how?
A
- Means that there needs to be a compromise here for everyone to be more or less happy or at least satisfied that something better could not be achieved
- 14 day cut off - doesnt suggest it is the precise moment that status occurs but recognition that there is value to research and that this is important to be allowed and some scope or space whereby research can be permitted.
12
Q
Life as a Continuum
- Pictures show a … day old embryo vs formation of the primitive streak (…) at day…-…
A
Pictures show a 5 day old embryo vs formation of the primitive streak (gastrulation) at day 14-15 - research on embryo no longer permitted
13
Q
Visibility of Life
- Pictures show embryo at … weeks and a … at …-… weeks
A
Pictures show embryo at 4 weeks and a foetus at 10-12 weeks
14
Q
Boundaries
- Pictures show a … week old foetus and a … newborn
A
Pictures show a 22 week old foetus and a premature newborn
15
Q
Rejecting …
- “Human embryos deserve the … … as all other human beings”, Pope Benedict XVI told an audience of scholars on February 27 2006.
- “The love of God does … … between the newly-conceived infant still in its mother’s womb, the baby, the youth, the grown adult or the elderly, because in each of them He sees the sign of His own image and likeness,”
A
Rejecting Gradualism
- “Human embryos deserve the same protection as all other human beings”, Pope Benedict XVI told an audience of scholars on February 27 2006.
- “The love of God does not distinguish between the newly-conceived infant still in its mother’s womb, the baby, the youth, the grown adult or the elderly, because in each of them He sees the sign of His own image and likeness,”
21
Q
Mitochondrial Donation: A Case Study
- What is mitochondrial donation used for?
A
- Mitochondrial donation is a way to address different diseases which can lead to very severe and life limiting/shortening conditions - premature death of children
- Donation will help to avoid these disabilities
- Different perspectives on this
