legal systems and regulations between the single EU member states ranging from ... Institute of Experimental Medicine ASCR, Academy of Sciences,. Prague 4 ...
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SPECIAL EVENTS Special Events 1: Ethics and Legislations on Stem Cell Research (Session of the FEBS Science and Society Committee) SE 1–1 The ranking of values as a basis for ethical decision making in ethical controversies: the case of stem cell research G. Hermeren Lund University, Biomedical Centre, Lund, SWEDEN What is the basis of the principles used to support decisions on ethically contested issues? In my presentation I will argue that these principles can be based on values of various kind, and perhaps ultimately have to be based on such values. The challenge is then not only to clarify the meaning and intended field of application of these values, but also to rank them in order of importance. This approach to decision-making raises problems of how to understand the concept of value, about the (semantic, logical and causal) relations between values and the possibility of tradeoffs between values – as well as whether some values are nonnegotiable and how the ranking orders identified are to be established and interpreted. I will comment briefly on some of these problems. To illustrate this approach focussing on ranking orders of values I will refer to the on-going debate on different kinds of stem cell research. Moreover, if basic values are an important part of the cement that keeps a culture together – identifies ‘us’ versus ‘them’ – this raises a number of important issues in the age of globalization about European identity and European values, which I will also comment on. I shall suggest that there is a family of widely accepted ranking orders in Europe, in which certain values rank high (though not always equally high), and which differ in some way from ranking orders outside Europe. High-ranking values in Europe include human dignity, solidarity, transparency, equity and equality as well as social justice.
SE 1–2 Import of embryonic stem cell lines D. Mieth Eberhard-Karls-Universitat Tubingen, Katholisch-Theologische Fakultat, Tubingen, GERMANY The question of import of embryonic stem lines is related to the situation of countries in which, like in Germany, research on supernumerary embryos is forbidden or in which the scientific resources for the development of embryonic stem cell lines are not yet existent. On the other side there may be promising experiments with adult stem cells or with animal models which cannot be meaningfully continued – like the concerned scientists say – if embryonic stem cell lines cannot be used. The German solution of this problem in the Embryonic Stem Cell Law of 2003 was that as before in the Embryo Protection Law of 1990, research on embryos and on embryonic stem cells remains forbidden. There is only one exception under great restrictions: the import and the following research on embryonic stem cell lines (only lines!). The restrictions are the following: no embryonic stem cell lines which are created after the 1 January 2002, so that no embryo is used for research in the intention of this import, no alternative for the planned step of research, high ranking medical
purposes, strict application of the restricting laws of the country where the lines are coming from, no prohibitive regulations existing of the German Constitution, obligatory counselling by a national ethics committee (instituted for this cases: five scientist or physicians, four ethicists; opinion not binding the executive body!). This regulation was changed in 2007 with a new deadline for the creation of embryonic stem cell lines. An ethical discussion of this solution has different aspects to take into account. On one hand the restriction on existing stem cell lines after a fixed date, combined with the added restrictions, may formally be in correspondence to the embryo protection law in which this case was not foreseen. On the other hand the symbolic effect of the new law may be that the acceptance of creating supernumerary embryos and research on them may increase against the intention of the embryo protection law. The coherence to this law will be seen different, depending from the ethical presuppositions. The solution of restricted import without accepting research on supernumerary embryos will remain in discussion, also for scientific objections which fear that the deadline for the import will diminish the ‘quality’ of the imported stem cell lines. In my contribution I will continue this discussion under the main aspect of human dignity.
SE 1–3 Ethics and legislations on stem cell research examples on European legislations on stem cell research C. Druml Medical University of Vienna, Ethics Committee, Wien, AUSTRIA Research is conducted internationally in a quest for the discovery and the development of a source of tissues and organs to make it possible to advance regenerative medicine. The research on stem cells raises high expectations in this field as stem cells have the potential to differentiate into different cells and tissues. Stem cell research still involves basic research. While research on adult stem cells, umbilical stem cells or foetal stem cells is conducted without major ethical problems, the research on embryonic stem cells is ethically controversial. The situation within the European Member States shows that there is a great degree of variation of legal systems and regulations between the single EU member states ranging from a liberal permissive position to a very restrictive position. There are divergent views of the moral legitimacy on research on human embryos and on human embryonic stem cells within Europe as well as within the single European member states. Austria has no specific law for research on hESC, except implicitly in legislation concerning reproductive medicine. Austrias position can be judged as rather restrictive as it has voted against hESC research during Council decision for the research frameworks. The Austrian Bioethics Commission has so far issued an opinion in 2002 on stem cell research in the context of the EU FP6 for research. This opinion is not unanimously but includes two diverging positions. Currently the Austrian Bioethics Commission is discussing the issue of stem cell research again,
FEBS Journal 276 (Suppl. 1) 91–93 (2009) ª 2009 The Authors Journal compilation ª 2009 Federation of European Biochemical Societies
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and has issued an opinion regarding cord blood banks in May 2008.
SE 1–4 Ethics of stem cells in the Czech Republic E. Sykova Institute of Experimental Medicine ASCR, Academy of Sciences, Prague 4, CZECH REPUBLIC Human embryonic stem cell research (hESC) in the Czech Republic represents a unique combination of research success and an advanced regulatory framework. Already seven hESC lines have been established in the Czech Republic. The main features of hESC governance in the Czech Republic were established by national legislation based on European legislation. The law no. 227/2006 Coll., dealing with human embryonic stem cell research and related processes and changes to the related law, came into effect on the 1st of June 2006. The law defines the
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scope of research on human embryonic stem cells, which can be obtained only from so-called redundant human embryos. These embryos are not suitable for assisted reproduction use, meaning that they are designated for death. The law proposal also regulates many processes related to research, particularly the import, export, transport and registration of human embryonic stem cell lines. The law proposal has a definite anti-corruption character, due to in-built mechanisms guarding against the misuse of research and the manipulation of embryos in contradiction with the law. The law specifies that research cannot lead to the manipulation of embryos in such a way as to lead to the creation of a new individual, thus so-called reproductive cloning is forbiden. The law even establishes a new criminal act – the illegal handling of a human embryo and the human genome. Human embryonic stem cell research, conducted according to the conditions cited in the law, brings hope for future applications in human health protection, especially for serious and, until now, untreatable diseases.
FEBS Journal 276 (Suppl. 1) 91–93 (2009) ª 2009 The Authors Journal compilation ª 2009 Federation of European Biochemical Societies
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Special Events 2: FEBS/EMBO Workshop SE 2–2 Changing academia and its genderings M. Linkova Institute of Sociology of the Academy of Sciences, Prague, CZECH REPUBLIC Research and higher education landscapes are changing. Issues of commodification, managerialism, applicability, flexibilization of the research labour market, excellence and accountability, to name just a few, are explored in a variety of political, geographic and research contexts. It is clear that these changes have an impact on research careers as well as the organisation of research work. The stress on excellence and accountability, with the attendant attention to ‘science in society’ issues and governance of science, open up the possibility of (and necessity to) attend to issues of gender equality in science. If science is to live up to the
demands of accountability in terms of society and its own governing, it needs to pick up the issue of the position of women in science, gender dimension of research as well as equal attention to women’s and men’s research needs in research agendas. The dynamics driving various changes in R&D and HE, however, do not square well with some of the demands stemming from the gender equality agenda. In fact, very often they stand in direct contradiction. This will be showcased using the example of worklife balance, stress on mobility and flexibility, and research performance assessments. Policies and measures aimed at improving gender equality have generally stayed out of the wider policy concerns and organisation of research institutions. I will argue that this creates problems which may further aggravate the position of women in science (and increasingly anyone who assumes the responsibilities traditionally attributed to women in the private sphere).
FEBS Journal 276 (Suppl. 1) 91–93 (2009) ª 2009 The Authors Journal compilation ª 2009 Federation of European Biochemical Societies
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