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Cited by 267Biomedical Ethics and RegulationEthics in Clinical ResearchEthics and bioethics in healthcare

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Ethical issues in stem cell research and therapy

Open access
King, Nancy MP, Perrin, Jacob·2014·Stem Cell Research & Therapy
DOI 10.1186/scrt474PMC PMC4097842
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Abstract

Rapid progress in biotechnology has introduced a host of pressing ethical and policy issues pertaining to stem cell research. In this review, we provide an overview of the most significant issues with which the stem cell research community should be familiar. We draw on a sample of the bioethics and scientific literatures to address issues that are specific to stem cell research and therapy, as well as issues that are important for stem cell research and therapy but also for translational research in related fields, and issues that apply to all clinical research and therapy. Although debate about the moral status of the embryo in human embryonic stem cell research continues to have relevance, the discovery of other highly multipotent stem cell types and alternative methods of isolating and creating highly multipotent stem cells has raised new questions and concerns. Induced pluripotent stem cells hold great promise, but care is needed to ensure their safety in translational clinical trials, despite the temptation to move quickly from bench to bedside. A variety of highly multipotent stem cells - such as mesenchymal stem/stromal cells and stem cells derived from amniotic fluid, umbilical cord blood, adipose tissue, or urine - present the opportunity for widespread biobanking and increased access. With these increased opportunities, however, come pressing policy issues of consent, control, and justice. The imperatives to minimize risks of harm, obtain informed consent, reduce the likelihood of the therapeutic misconception, and facilitate sound translation from bench to bedside are not unique to stem cell research; their application to stem cell research and therapy nonetheless merits particular attention. Because stem cell research is both scientifically promising and ethically challenging, both the application of existing ethical frameworks and careful consideration of new ethical implications are necessary as this broad and diverse field moves forward.

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  • High costs and ethical concerns remain barriers to widespread adoption of MSC therapies.

    “MSC therapies demonstrated cartilage regeneration and early osteoarthritis improvement, but high costs and ethical concerns remain barriers to widespread adoption.”

    From Advancements in Regenerative Therapies for Orthopedics: A Comprehensive Review of Platelet-Rich Plasma, Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Peptide Therapies, and Biomimetic Applications (2025) · cites this paper as [22]

    The “Justice in stem cell research and treatment” section says cell-based therapies can be extraordinarily costly and that costs affect access; it also discusses ethical challenges in making stem cell therapies available. It does not establish that these are barriers to widespread adoption of MSC therapies specifically. Page numbers were not provided in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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Metadata

Authors
King, N. M., & Perrin, J.
Affiliations
  • Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist (US)
  • Wake Forest University (US)
Corresponding author
King, Nancy MP
ORCID
King, Nancy MP
Venue
Stem Cell Research & Therapy
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2014-07-07
Volume
5
Issue
4
Pages
85-85
ISSN
1757-6512 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1186/scrt474
PMC
PMC4097842
OpenAlex
W2124965012
Cited by
267
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 19 · 2025: 40 · 2024: 28 · 2023: 27 · 2022: 27 · 2021: 28 · 2020: 25 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 22 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 1
FWCI
1.21
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Stem Cell Research & Therapy (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Issues, ethics and legal aspects › Biomedical Ethics and Regulation
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Ethics in Clinical Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Ethics and bioethics in healthcare
Keywords
stem cell research ethics, human embryonic stem cells, moral status of embryos, induced pluripotent stem cells, multipotent stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, biobanking, informed consent, therapeutic misconception, risk minimization, translational research, stem cell therapy, science policy, justice in research
MeSH terms
Clinical Trials as Topic, Humans, Cell Culture Techniques, Stem Cell Transplantation, Embryonic Stem Cells, Stem Cell Research, Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy

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