Commercialisation et recherche sur les cellules souches
Public and policy debate about whether and how to regulate commercial and market influences in medical research, including stem cell research, has been the focus of international study. The issues are multi-faceted, ranging from managing researchers’ commercial conflicts of interest and avoiding undue financial inducement in tissue donation, to balancing fears of exploitation in ova and embryo markets with respect for women’s ability to make decisions in their own best interests. Commerce involving reproductive tissue such as gametes, embryos and fetal tissue is particularly complicated.
At the heart of the ethical debate over whether sales of human tissue are acceptable is a fundamental disagreement over what constitutes appropriate and inappropriate uses of the human body. Some people believe the body is simply a tool to be used to further a person’s needs and desires, while others believe it is sacred and must be treated as such. The nature of a person’s rights in reproductive material is confused at best, particularly when the material is outside the human body. There seems to be a particular reluctance to extend legal property rights to include reproductive tissue, such as gametes and embryos. International policies differ, although there is relatively wide-spread consensus that a principle of non-commercialization of both the human body and especially of human reproduction respects human dignity.
Currently, human embryonic stem cell (hES) research requires a large supply of human ova to conduct research on techniques aimed at somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). Markets in ova run the risk of making women a simple source of raw material for hES and SCNT research. It has been argued that this commodifies women in an unacceptable way. Issues of commercialization of human reproductive tissue also include the researchers and companies who profit from the use of the tissue to develop a valuable cell line. This means regulating the patent process so that others have access to the cells for future research. A final point of concern is to ensure that products are priced so as not to necessarily exclude those – within or beyond our national borders – who cannot afford expensive treatments.