Ethical gaps in the ISSCR guidelines on human-animal chimera research

Dr Julian Koplin¹

¹Monash University

The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) has recently released the 2021 update of their guidelines. The update includes detailed new recommendations on human-animal chimera research. This talk argues that the ISSCR recommendations fail to address the core ethical concerns raised by neurological chimeras – namely, concerns about moral status. In minimising moral status concerns, the ISSCR both breaks rank with other major reports on human-animal chimera research and relies on controversial claims about the grounds of moral status that many people will rightly reject. A more robust framework for regulating human-animal chimera research still needs to be developed.

Biography:

Dr Julian Koplin is a Lecturer in Bioethics and Monash University. His research interests include human tissue ethics and the ethical implications of new technologies.