Pugh Jonathan
J Med Ethics. 2014 Nov;40(11):737-8. doi: 10.1136/medethics-2013-101660. Epub 2013 Aug 5.
In his discussion of in vitrogametogenesis, Rob Sparrow claims that an ethical barrier to development of this technology is that many jurisdictions currently prohibit the practice of creating embryos solely for the purpose of research. However, he suggests that this ethical barrier will soon be eroded, in view of the fact that in vitro gametogenesis could serve as a powerful new technology to overcome infertility. In this commentary, I argue that Sparrow is being overly optimistic in his analysis here. I claim that the debate over so-called compromise positions in the human embryonic stem cell debate suggests that the purpose of the research for which a research embryo is created is unlikely to be considered as having any significant bearing on the moral permissibility of the practice for those who oppose it. Even though in vitro gametogenesis could serve as a powerful new technology to overcome infertility, I argue that opponents of the practice of creating embryos solely for research purposes would still view the creation of research embryos that the development of in vitro gametogenesis would require, as being incompatible with affording the embryo proper moral respect. I conclude by suggesting that Sparrow's analysis of the potential benefits of in vitro gametogenesis provides us with further reasons to scrutinise the unconvincing arguments that are often cited in favour of prohibiting the practice of creating embryos solely for research purposes.
在讨论体外配子发生时，罗布·斯帕罗声称，这项技术发展的一个伦理障碍是，目前许多司法管辖区禁止仅为研究目的而创造胚胎的做法。然而，他认为鉴于体外配子发生可作为克服不孕症的一项强大新技术，这一伦理障碍很快就会被打破。在这篇评论中，我认为斯帕罗在此处的分析过于乐观。我认为，关于人类胚胎干细胞辩论中所谓折衷立场的争论表明，对于反对者而言，创造研究胚胎的研究目的不太可能被视为与该做法在道德上的可允许性有任何重大关联。尽管体外配子发生可作为克服不孕症的一项强大新技术，但我认为，仅为研究目的而创造胚胎做法的反对者仍会认为，体外配子发生发展所需的研究胚胎的创造与给予胚胎应有的道德尊重不相容。我在结论中指出，斯帕罗对体外配子发生潜在益处的分析为我们提供了进一步的理由，去审视那些常被用来支持禁止仅为研究目的而创造胚胎做法的不可信论据。
