Bioethics and investigations using human stem cells in Portugal and the European Community

Abstract

Through the present study, conducted within the scope of the Centro deInvestigação em Educação da Universidade do Minho, our intention was to reflect onthe ethical implications of investigations using human stem cells. Stem cell investigationsare enormously important because they make it possible both to find out about the developmental processes of organisms and to find ways of treating irreversible diseases.It is believed that stem cells from adult tissues present lower capacity for differentiation than do embryonic cells, and consequently their use in disease treatment is less effective. While using stem cells from adult human tissue generally does not raise ethical issues, the same cannot be said for using embryonic stem cells. Use of this type of cell has raised many questions within the sphere of bioethics, in that it usually causes destruction ofhuman embryos. The present article is divided into three parts: in the first part, a brief analysis on the scientific knowledge relating to stem cells is made; in the second part, the law on embryos and the legal regulations relating to use of embryos in scientific investigations are covered (in Portugal and the European Community); and in the finalpart, some ethical questions inherent to using embryonic stem cells are raised.