Ethics for embryos

This paper responds to DW Brock's technically strong case for the use of human embryonic stem cells in medical research. His main issue in this context is the question of whether it is moral to destroy viable human embryos. He offers a number of reasons to support his view that it is moral to destroy them, but his use of conceptual arguments is not adequate to secure his position. The purpose and scope of this paper is wholly concerned with his arguments rather than with the conclusion that it is justifiable to destroy human embryos. The author proceeds through his variety of arguments and offers reasons for rejecting them. The author concludes that Brock has not shown that it is moral to destroy viable human embryos.     

New European guidelines for the use of stored human biological materials in biomedical research

The increasing possibilities for using tissue for research and development in genetics and biotechnology have made stored human biological materials more important than ever. Using stored human biological materials raises many legal and ethical questions. On an international level however, the use of these materials has not been regulated in a detailed manner so far. The Council of Europe recently declassified the text of the proposal for an instrument on the use of archived human biological materials in biomedical research for public consultation. The purpose of this paper is to comment on this document regarding its primary goal, which is to protect the rights and fundamental freedoms of the individual whose biological materials could be included in a research project. The guidelines offer good basic protection for sources of identifiable human biological materials but, surprisingly, offer no protection to sources of anonymous or anonymised materials.     

International ethical guidelines for biomedical research involving human subjects

The CIOMS guidelines have been developed and revised with the problems of conducting medical research in less developed countries particularly in mind. The proposed guidelines were first published in 1982, revised in 1993, and have now been published in a third version after a revision process lasting three years. Last month the Bulletin published just one guideline and accompanying commentary. There now follow all the guidelines, without commentary, but with an appendix detailing what should be in a protocol.     

UNESCO Global Ethics Observatory: database on ethics related legislation and guidelines

The Database on Ethics Related Legislation and Guidelines was launched in March 2007 as the fourth database of the UNESCO Global Ethics Observatory system of databases in ethics of science and technology. The database offers a collection of legal instruments searchable by region, country, bioethical themes, legal categories and applicability to specific articles of the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights and International Declaration on Human Genetic Data. This paper discusses the background and rationale for the database and its role as a consultative and comparative resource hub for the study of ethics related legal instruments across the world, with the purpose of informing and inspiring relevant stakeholders on the implementation of the principles contained within the UNESCO declarations on bioethics.     

代际伦理:马克思主义伦理学新的研究课题

对马克思主义伦理学要以与时俱进的精神加以发展 ,就必须以现实提出的问题为对象 ,研究前人没有研究过的新领域和新问题。代际伦理这一在现实生活中已经突出的问题就是这样的新领域和新问题。它主要包括 :可持续发展的代际伦理支持问题、道德价值观的代际及其代际沟通问题、代际公平和代际正义问题、家庭代际伦理问题、现代科技所带来的代际伦理问题等。这些问题都是当今马克思主义伦理学必须关注和研究的问题