Attitudes and values among the Swedish general public to using human embryonic stem cells for medical treatment

BMC Medical Ethics

Research

Jennifer Drevin¹  Åsa Grauman¹  Mats Hansson¹  Elena Jiltsova²  Dag Nyholm²  Trinette van Vliet³  Håkan Widner³ 

[1] Centre for Research Ethics and Bioethics, Uppsala University, Box 564, 751 22, Uppsala, Sweden;Department of Medical Sciences, Neurology, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala University, 751 85, Uppsala, Sweden;Department of Neurology, Skåne University Hospital, 221 85, Lund, Sweden;

关键词: Surplus embryos;    Public perceptions;    Parkinson’s disease;    Drug development;    Moral concerns;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12910-022-00878-6

 received in 2022-09-18, accepted in 2022-12-16,  发布年份 2022

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundThe use of human embryonic stem cells (ES cells) for the development of medical therapies is surrounded with moral concerns. The aim of this study was to assess the public’s attitudes toward the use of ES cells for treatment of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and other diseases, what factors are most important to consider when using ES cells for drug development, and if there is an association between religious beliefs and attitudes toward using ES cells for medical treatment.MethodsA randomly selected sample of the Swedish public, aged 18–87-years-old, completed an online survey (n = 467). The survey assessed socio-demographics, religious views, perceived moral status of the embryo, and attitudes toward using ES cells for medical treatment of PD and other diseases. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for positive vs. negative attitude toward using ES cells for drug development were computed using logistic regression.ResultsThe respondents were positive about using ES for treatment; specifically, 70% totally agreed that it is acceptable to use ES cells for treatment of PD, while 40% totally agreed that it is acceptable to use ES cells for treatment but induced pluripotent cells is just as efficient. Religion being of little importance in one’s life was associated with a positive attitude toward using ES cells for treatment of PD (adjusted OR 6.39, 95% CI 2.78–14.71). The importance of being able “to access new, effective treatments against diseases that do not have any treatment available” was ranked as the most important factor to consider when using ES cells for drug development.ConclusionMost respondents are positive about using ES cells for drug development, and making effective treatments accessible to those who do not have any. However, these attitudes are influenced by the specific disorder that the drug development is intended for, as well as the religious views and perceived moral status of the early embryo.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s) 2022

【 图 表 】

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