Stem Cell Dialogues - A Philosophical and Scientific Inquiry Into Medical Frontiers

Erscheinungsjahr 2015
ISBN: 978-0-231-16748-2
Verlag: Columbia University Press

Buch, Englisch, 280 Seiten, Format (B × H): 154 mm x 236 mm, Gewicht: 521 g

Stem cells and the emerging field of regenerative medicine are at the frontiers of modern medicine. These areas of scientific inquiry suggest that in the future, damaged tissue and organs might be repaired through personalized cell therapy as easily as the body repairs itself, revolutionizing the treatment of numerous diseases. Yet the use of stem cells is fraught with ethical and public policy dilemmas that challenge scientists, clinicians, the public health community, and people of good will everywhere. How shall we deal with these amazing biomedical advances, and how can we talk about potential breakthroughs with both moral and scientific intelligence?

This book provides an innovative look at these vexing issues through a series of innovative Socratic dialogues that elucidate key scientific and ethical points in an approachable manner. Addressing the cultural and value issues underlying stem cell research while also educating readers about stem cells' biological function and medical applications, Stem Cell Dialogues features fictional characters engaging in compelling inquiry and debate. Participants investigate the scientific, political, and socioethical dimensions of stem cell science using actual language, analysis, and arguments taken from scientific, philosophical, and popular literature. Each dialogue centers on a specific, recognizable topic, such as the policies implemented by the George W. Bush administration restricting the use of embryonic stem cells; the potential role of stem cells in personalized medicine; the ethics of cloning; and the sale of eggs and embryos. Additionally, speakers debate the use of stem cells to treat paralysis, diabetes, stroke effects, macular degeneration, and cancer. Educational, entertaining, and rigorously researched (with 300 references to scientific literature), Stem Cell Dialogues should be included in any effort to help the public understand the science, ethics, and policy concerns of this promising field.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Krimsky, Sheldon

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Philosophie Angewandte Ethik & Soziale Verantwortung Medizinische Ethik
• Medizin | Veterinärmedizin Medizin | Public Health | Pharmazie | Zahnmedizin Medizin, Gesundheitswesen Medizinische Ethik

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Annotated Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroductionHarnessing Stem Cells for Regenerative MedicineDialogue 1. HopeDialogue 2. Why Is This Cell Different from Other Cells?Dialogue 3. The President's Stem CellsDialogue 4. The Dickey-Wicker EnigmaDialogue 5. The Moral Status of EmbryosDialogue 6. Creating Good from Immoral ActsDialogue 7. Circumventing EmbryocideDialogue 8. My Personalized Beta Cells for DiabetesDialogue 9. Repairing Brain Cells in Stroke VictimsDialogue 10. Reversing Macular DegenerationDialogue 11. My Stem Cells, My CancerDialogue 12. Reprogramming CellsDialogue 13. My Personalized Disease CellsDialogue 14. To Clone or Not to Clone: That Is the QuestionDialogue 15. Patenting Human Embryonic Stem Cells Is Immoral and Illegal (in Europe)Dialogue 16. My Embryo Is Auctioned on the InternetDialogue 17. Here Comes the Egg Man: Oocytes and Embryos.orgDialogue 18. Human-Animal Chimeras and HybridsDialogue 19. Stem Cell TourismDialogue 20. Social Media Meet Science HypeDialogue 21. Feminism and the Commercialization of Human Eggs/Embryos Dialogue 22. Was My Birth Embryo Me?Dialogue 23. Embryos Without OvariesDialogue 24. My Cells Are DrugsDialogue 25. A Clinical Trial for Paralysis TreatmentEpilogueNotesGlossaryIndex

Über Autor(innen)

Sheldon Krimsky is the Lenore Stern Professor of Humanities and Social Sciences in the Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning at the School of Arts and Sciences and adjunct professor in the Department of Public Health and Community Medicine at the School of Medicine, Tufts University. His research focuses on the links among science and technology, ethics and values, and public policy, and he is the author or editor of fourteen books, including Genetic Justice: DNA Data Banks, Criminal Investigations, and Civil Liberties, and 200 book chapters, journal articles, and reviews.