The Ethics of Human Brain Organoid Transplantation in Animals.
Masanori Kataoka, Christopher Gyngell, Julian Savulescu, Tsutomu Sawai
Neuroethics October 4, 2023 DOI: 10.1007/s12152-023-09532-3 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Transplantation Chimeras Enhancement Consciousness Brain organoids |
| Key points | Argues that ethical evaluation of human brain organoid transplantation in animals has been treated as equivalent to other human-cell transplants and focused narrowly on the host animal, and proposes a comprehensive framework in which new issues, especially uncertainty about whether organoids might be conscious, are assessed at different stages of the research. |
Abstract
In this paper, we outline how one might conduct a comprehensive ethical evaluation of human brain organoid transplantation in animals. Thus far, ethical concerns regarding this type of research have been assumed to be similar to those associated with other transplants of human cells in animals, and have therefore not received significant attention. The focus has been only on the welfare, moral status, or mental capacities of the host animal. However, the transplantation of human brain organoids introduces several new ethical issues. Many of these are related to uncertainty regarding whether or not brain organoids might be conscious. While these concerns might not be immediately relevant, they warrant closer scrutiny. We discuss how various ethical issues are relevant to different stages of human brain organoid transplantation and can guide the ethical evaluation of research. Our examination would broaden the horizons of the debate on the transplantation of brain organoids.
Citations in the library
Cites 8
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and 3 more in the library