Human cerebral organoids as a new legal and ethical challenge.
Journal of law and the biosciences January 1, 2020 Andrea Lavazza, Federico Gustavo Pizzetti
Human cerebral organoids (HCOs) are miniature brains grown from human cells that mimic embryonic brain development. Recent studies show they exhibit complex electrical activity, respond to light, and can control connected muscle. Although they currently lack vascularization and sensory input, more developed HCOs might display rudimentary sentience, particularly basic pain and pleasure experiences. This article examines whether such sentient HCOs would deserve legal protection or moral status. It argues that no special legal rights beyond those for human biological material are warranted, but a sentient HCO could have its moral status recognized, potentially requiring legal adaptation.