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.
BMC Med Ethics. 2022 Dec 22;23(1):138. doi: 10.1186/s12910-022-00878-6.
The 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.
A 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.
The 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.
Most 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.
人类胚胎干细胞（ES 细胞）在医学治疗中的应用引发了诸多道德问题。本研究旨在评估公众对 ES 细胞治疗帕金森病（PD）和其他疾病的态度，以及在开发药物时考虑 ES 细胞的哪些因素最重要，以及宗教信仰与使用 ES 细胞进行医疗治疗的态度之间是否存在关联。
我们从瑞典 18-87 岁的公众中随机抽取样本，让他们在线填写调查问卷（n=467）。该调查评估了社会人口统计学、宗教观点、对胚胎的感知道德地位以及对使用 ES 细胞治疗 PD 和其他疾病的态度。使用逻辑回归计算了对使用 ES 细胞进行药物开发的积极态度与消极态度的调整比值比（OR）和 95%置信区间（CI）。
受访者对使用 ES 细胞治疗持积极态度；具体来说，70%的人完全同意使用 ES 细胞治疗 PD 是可以接受的，而 40%的人完全同意使用 ES 细胞治疗是可以接受的，但诱导多能干细胞同样有效。宗教在生活中不太重要与对使用 ES 细胞治疗 PD 的积极态度有关（调整后的 OR 6.39，95%CI 2.78-14.71）。能够“获得针对尚无治疗方法的疾病的新的、有效的治疗方法”被认为是在使用 ES 细胞进行药物开发时最重要的考虑因素。
大多数受访者对使用 ES 细胞进行药物开发持积极态度，希望为那些没有治疗方法的患者提供有效的治疗方法。然而，这些态度受到药物开发针对的特定疾病以及宗教信仰和对早期胚胎的感知道德地位的影响。
