Attitudes and values among the Swedish general public to using human embryonic stem cells for medical treatment

Abstract

Background The use of human embryonic stem cells (ES cells) for the development of medical therapies is surrounded with moral concerns. The aim of this study was to assess the public’s attitudes toward the use of ES cells for treatment of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and other diseases, what factors are most important to consider when using ES cells for drug development, and if there is an association between religious beliefs and attitudes toward using ES cells for medical treatment. Methods A randomly selected sample of the Swedish public, aged 18–87-years-old, completed an online survey (n = 467). The survey assessed socio-demographics, religious views, perceived moral status of the embryo, and attitudes toward using ES cells for medical treatment of PD and other diseases. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for positive vs. negative attitude toward using ES cells for drug development were computed using logistic regression. Results The respondents were positive about using ES for treatment; specifically, 70% totally agreed that it is acceptable to use ES cells for treatment of PD, while 40% totally agreed that it is acceptable to use ES cells for treatment but induced pluripotent cells is just as efficient. Religion being of little importance in one’s life was associated with a positive attitude toward using ES cells for treatment of PD (adjusted OR 6.39, 95% CI 2.78–14.71). The importance of being able “to access new, effective treatments against diseases that do not have any treatment available” was ranked as the most important factor to consider when using ES cells for drug development. Conclusion Most respondents are positive about using ES cells for drug development, and making effective treatments accessible to those who do not have any. However, these attitudes are influenced by the specific disorder that the drug development is intended for, as well as the religious views and perceived moral status of the early embryo.

A study on the attitudes of urban residents in China towards the preservation of embryonic stem cells

“…The higher the score, the stronger the individual's perception of social support). ( 3) Individual characteristics used as control variables include gender, age, ethnicity, political affiliation, and health literacy [13]. (The individual's ability to obtain and understand health information to ensure and promote their own health.…”

Can pluripotent/multipotent stem cells reverse Parkinson’s disease progression?

“…Currently, there are multiple methods for obtaining ESCs, such as activating unfertilized oocytes to develop into parthenogenetic embryos, injecting sperm into enucleated oocytes to generate androgenetic embryos, and transferring somatic cell nuclei into enucleated oocytes to induce reprogramming and establish ESC lines ( Leeb and Wutz, 2011 ; Elling et al, 2019 ). A Swedish survey reported that over half of the population had a positive attitude toward using ESCs in PD drug development ( Grauman et al, 2022 ). Studies have shown that early ESCs can differentiate into DA neurons and improve behavior when transplanted directly into the brains of rodents ( Kim et al, 2002 ; Ben-Hur et al, 2004 ), but there is a risk of teratoma formation due to the presence of undifferentiated neural epithelial cells among the transplanted cells ( Roy et al, 2006 ); therefore, complete induction of ESC differentiation is needed before transplantation.…”