Human Cerebral Organoids: Implications of Ontological considerations

Khuram, Hassan; Maddox, Parker Alan; Elahi, Aria; Hirani, Rahim; Issani, Ali

doi:10.1080/21507740.2023.2188310

AJOB Neuroscience

2023

DOI: 10.1080/21507740.2023.2188310

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Human Cerebral Organoids: Implications of Ontological considerations

Hassan Khuram

Parker Alan Maddox

Aria Elahi

et al.

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Cited by 3 publications

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“…In such a scenario, the justification for conducting the research would necessitate obtaining consent from the cell donor and brain organoids. Sawai et al ( 2022 ) highlighted that, even if the donor were to withdraw consent, the research may continue as long as it does not result in the destruction of the brain organoids (see also, Khuram et al, 2023 ). However, it is unlikely that brain organoids will reach such a sophisticated state in the foreseeable future.…”

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confidence: 99%

The Donation of Human Biological Material for Brain Organoid Research: The Problems of Consciousness and Consent

Kataoka,

Gyngell,

Savulescu

et al. 2024

Sci Eng Ethics

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Human brain organoids are three-dimensional masses of tissues derived from human stem cells that partially recapitulate the characteristics of the human brain. They have promising applications in many fields, from basic research to applied medicine. However, ethical concerns have been raised regarding the use of human brain organoids. These concerns primarily relate to the possibility that brain organoids may become conscious in the future. This possibility is associated with uncertainties about whether and in what sense brain organoids could have consciousness and what the moral significance of that would be. These uncertainties raise further concerns regarding consent from stem cell donors who may not be sufficiently informed to provide valid consent to the use of their donated cells in human brain organoid research. Furthermore, the possibility of harm to the brain organoids raises question about the scope of the donor’s autonomy in consenting to research involving these entities. Donor consent does not establish the reasonableness of the risk and harms to the organoids, which ethical oversight must ensure by establishing some measures to mitigate them. To address these concerns, we provide three proposals for the consent procedure for human brain organoid research. First, it is vital to obtain project-specific consent rather than broad consent. Second, donors should be assured that appropriate measures will be taken to protect human brain organoids during research. Lastly, these assurances should be fulfilled through the implementation of precautionary measures. These proposals aim to enhance the ethical framework surrounding human brain organoid research.

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mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Donation of Human Biological Material for Brain Organoid Research: The Problems of Consciousness and Consent

Kataoka,

Gyngell,

Savulescu

et al. 2024

Sci Eng Ethics

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The Future of Human Cerebral Organoids: A Reply to Commentaries

Lavazza,

Zilio

2023

AJOB Neuroscience

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An ontological approach to the ethical issues of human cerebral organoids

Zilio¹

2023

Mol. Psychol.

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Human cerebral organoids (HCOs) are models that grow up in the laboratory and mimic the cellular composition, structure and function of parts of the adult human brain. Recently, an interesting debate has appeared on the ethics of HCO research and application, particularly on the current and future moral status of these entities. A precautionary approach has been proposed, implying a level of protection and moral consideration based on the potential conscious activity that might be detected in future complex forms of HCO. In this article, I aim to broaden the analysis of the question of the moral status of HCOs through an ontological analysis. The hybrid nature of HCOs (between object and subject, natural and artificial) entails an ontological complexity that is difficult to fix in an absolute sense, and this has consequences on the ethical level as well. After identifying the relevant moral concepts at stake, I argue that HCOs can be placed between being moral objects and moral patients based on their ontological status. Therefore, HCOs deserve indirect moral consideration (as moral objects), even if they have not yet or will never develop consciousness; moreover, if they were to reach such a level of complexity that they might have interests in their own self-preservation, they could also receive direct moral consideration (as moral patients). This ontological analysis displays the evolving complexity of these entities, potentially helping define all the factors to be taken into account when formulating the precautionary principle on a case-by-case basis to identify the proper proportionality and regulation of HCOs.

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Human Cerebral Organoids: Implications of Ontological considerations

Cited by 3 publications

References 7 publications

The Donation of Human Biological Material for Brain Organoid Research: The Problems of Consciousness and Consent

The Donation of Human Biological Material for Brain Organoid Research: The Problems of Consciousness and Consent

The Future of Human Cerebral Organoids: A Reply to Commentaries

An ontological approach to the ethical issues of human cerebral organoids

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