Cerebral Organoids and Biological Hybrids as New Entities in the Moral Landscape

Chinaia, Alice Andrea; Lavazza, Andrea

doi:10.1080/21507740.2022.2048732

Cited by 9 publications

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“…Ethical issues may also arise regarding the donation of biological samples: these include the possible uses of the organoids, as well as the donors’ consent and privacy. In addition, other relevant questions are related to the creation of chimeras with HCOs and their connection to digital devices to create new types of biological hybrids [ 4 , 8 ]. Recently, the discussion has entered the laboratory, and, besides neuroethicists, researchers have also started raising questions [ 11 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Human cerebral organoids: the ethical stance of scientists

Lavazza

Chinaia

2023

Stem Cell Res Ther

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Background Human cerebral organoids (HCOs) offer unprecedented opportunities to study the human brain in vitro, but they also raise important ethical concerns. Here we report the first systematic analysis of scientists’ stance within the ethical debate. Method Twenty-one in-depth semi-structured interviews were analyzed through a constant comparative method to highlight how the ethical concerns filter in the laboratory. Results The results suggest that the potential emergence of consciousness is not yet seen with concern. However, there are some features of HCO research that need to be better accounted for. Communication to the public, the use of terms such as “mini-brains”, and informed consent appear to be the most pressing concerns of the scientific community. Nonetheless, respondents generally showed a positive attitude toward the ethical discussion, recognizing its value and the necessity of constant ethical scrutiny over scientific advancements. Conclusions This research paves the way for a better-informed dialogue between scientists and ethicists, highlighting the issues to be addressed whenever scholars of different backgrounds and interests meet.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Human cerebral organoids: the ethical stance of scientists

Lavazza

Chinaia

2023

Stem Cell Res Ther

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Human Cerebral Organoids: Evolving Entities and Their Moral Status

Lavazza

2022

Advances in Neuroethics

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Patentability of Brain Organoids derived from iPSC– A Legal Evaluation with Interdisciplinary Aspects

Wolff

2024

Neuroethics

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Brain Organoids in their current state of development are patentable. Future brain organoids may face some challenges in this regard, which I address in this contribution. Brain organoids unproblematically fulfil the general prerequisites of patentability set forth in Art. 3 (1) EU-Directive 98/44/EC (invention, novelty, inventive step and susceptibility of industrial application). Patentability is excluded if an invention makes use of human embryos or constitutes a stage of the human body in the individual phases of its formation and development. Both do not apply to brain organoids, unless ES-cells are used. Art. 6 (1) EU-Directive 98/44/EC excludes patentability for inventions “the commercial exploitation of which would be contrary to ordre public or morality”. While there is no conceivable scenario, in which the commercial application of current brain organoids violates the ordre public, the same is not necessarily true for future brain organoids. Keeping in mind that a development of consciousness-like abilities in future brain organoids cannot be excluded and that an ability for both physical and psychological suffering has been theorized, both of which are aspects of the ordre public, certain applications of future brain organoids may constitute a violation of the ordre public and therefore lead to an exclusion of patentability.

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Cerebral Organoids and Biological Hybrids as New Entities in the Moral Landscape

Cited by 9 publications

References 9 publications

Human cerebral organoids: the ethical stance of scientists

Human cerebral organoids: the ethical stance of scientists

Human Cerebral Organoids: Evolving Entities and Their Moral Status

Patentability of Brain Organoids derived from iPSC– A Legal Evaluation with Interdisciplinary Aspects

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