Ethical, legal and social aspects of human cerebral organoids and their governance in Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Anja Pichl, Robert Ranisch, Ozan Altan Altinok, Melpomeni Antonakaki, Andrew J Barnhart, Katherine C. Bassil, Jonathan Lomax Boyd, Alice Andrea Chinaia, Sarah Diner, Maxence Gaillard, Henry T Greely, Joshua Jowitt, Karola V Kreitmair, David W. Lawrence, Tim Nicholas Lee, Alex McKeown, Vorathep Sachdev, Silke Schicktanz, Jeremy Sugarman, Katharina Trettenbach, Lara Wiese, Hannes Wolff, Garðar Árnason
Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology 2023 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1194706 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Elsa Brain organoid Consciousness Ethics Governance Human cerebral organoids Moral status Public engagement |
| Key points | The article reports the themes of an international, interdisciplinary retreat on whether human cerebral organoid research requires new ethical and regulatory approaches. It addresses epistemic issues around detecting and theorizing consciousness, ethical concerns about moral status and research conduct, difficulties for legislation and guidelines governing these entities, and public engagement, reflecting broader expert and lay deliberations about the possibility that HCOs could develop sentience or consciousness. |
Abstract
Human cerebral organoids (HCOs) are model systems that enable researchers to investigate the human brain in ways that had previously been impossible. The emergence of HCOs was accompanied by both expert and layperson discussions concerning the possibility of these novel entities developing sentience or consciousness. Such concerns are reflected in deliberations about how to handle and regulate their use. This perspective article resulted from an international and interdisciplinary research retreat "Ethical, Legal and Social Aspects of Human Cerebral Organoids and their Governance in Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States", which took place in Tübingen, Germany, in August 2022. The retreat focused on whether HCO research requires new ethical and regulatory approaches. It addressed epistemic issues around the detection and theorisation of consciousness, ethical concerns around moral status and research conduct, difficulties for legislation and guidelines managing these entities, and public engagement.
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
Cites 7
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- Searching for Consciousness in Unfamiliar Entities: The Need for Both Systematic Investigation and Imagination AJOB Neuroscience April 3, 2023
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