Turkiye Klinikleri Journal of Medical Ethics-Law and History

.: REVIEW
What Can We Say About Embryonic Stem Cell Researches from Ethical Point of View?
Embriyonik Kök Hücre Araştırmaları Hakkında Etik Açıdan Ne Söyleyebiliriz?
Mukadder GÜNa, Berna ARDAb
aDeparment of History of Medicine and Ethics, Ufuk University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, TURKEY
bDepartment of History of Medicine and Ethics, Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, TURKEY
Turkiye Klinikleri J Med Ethics. 2020;28(3):445-50
doi: 10.5336/mdethic.2019-72209
Article Language: EN
Full Text
ABSTRACT
 Stem cell researches are among the primary areas in which the humanity has experienced exciting developments since the end of the 20th century. The discovery of the potential of stem cells in the regeneration of devastated cells has been a source of hope for many incurable diseases. Another type of stem cell is embryonic stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are obtained from the cells in the embryo (which consists of only 50-150 cells a few days after fertilization) that have just begun to develop. These cells can transform into any cell of more than two hundred species found in the human body. Human embryonic stem cells are not debated not only by the biologists by whom they were discovered but also by the medical profession, media, ethicists, teologian, governments and politicians. It is an inevitable fact that there might also be inevitable ethical and legal problems in stem cell practices, which comprise a new and very dynamic area. In this context, embryonic stem cell research from ethical point of view; have a particular importance. In the light of the relevant literature, this article emphasizes basic ethical topics such as the usage opportunities of human embryonic stem cell, regulations developed by various countries regarding the application of these techniques and violation of patient rights, informed consent, accessibility to treatment due to expensiveness, and making it trading.

Keywords: Embriyonic stem cell; medical law; patient rights; informed consent; research ethics
ÖZET
 Kök hücre araştırmaları, insanlığın 20. yüzyılın sonlarından bu yana heyecan verici gelişmeler yaşadığı başlıca alanlar arasındadır. Kök hücrelerin harap olmuş hücrelerin yenilenmesindeki potansiyelinin keşfedilmesi tedavi edilmesi olanaklı olmayan pek çok hastalık için umut kaynağı olmuştur. Bir başka kök hücre çeşidi ise embriyonik kök hücrelerdir. Embriyonik kök hücreler henüz yeni gelişmeye başlamış (döllenmeden birkaç gün sonraki, sadece 50-150 hücreden oluşan) embriyonun içindeki hücrelerden elde edilir. Bu hücreler başkalaşarak insan vücudunda bulunan iki yüzden fazla türdeki herhangi bir hücreye dönüşebilir. İnsan embriyonik kök hücreleri, sadece keşfedildikleri biyologlar tarafından değil, tıp mesleği, medya, etik uzmanları, teolog, hükümetler ve politikacılar tarafından da tartışılmaktadır. Yeni ve çok dinamik bir alan oluşturan embriyonik kök hücre araştırmalarında üstesinden gelinemez etik ve yasal sorunların olabileceği kaçınılmaz bir gerçektir. Bu bağlamda, embriyonik kök hücre araştırmaları etik açıdan tartışılması özel bir öneme sahiptir. Bu makale; akademik yazın doğrultusunda insan embriyonik kök hücresinin kullanım olanakları, ilişkin çeşitli ülkeler tarafından geliştirilen düzenlemeler ve bu ülkelerin uygulamaları, hasta haklarının ihlali, bilgilendirilmiş onam, tedaviye erişim ve ticarileşme olasılığı gibi temel etik konuları vurgulamaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler: Embriyonik kök hücre; tıp hukuku; hasta hakları; aydınlatılmış onam; araştırma etiği
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