Experts lead debate on egg donation for stem cell research
Released: 21 November 2006
Should women’s health be compromised in the pursuit of scientific research, a public debate in Edinburgh will hear.
Exploring the controversial issue of egg donation for medical research, an expert panel¹ of scientists, ethicists and activists will address the public’s concerns in a ‘Question Time’ style debate this Thursday (23 November 2006).
Currently, oocytes for medical research are obtained from embryos leftover from IVF treatment and in one clinic’s case, an egg sharing arrangement². Supply doesn’t meet demand. Researchers argue a supply of freshly harvested eggs from healthy donors will lead to advances in techniques like therapeutic cloning and stem cell research which may have health benefits in the future.
In response, the UK government is making decisions³ about whether women who aren’t undergoing IVF treatment can donate eggs for research, extending egg sharing arrangements to other clinics, financial compensation for donated eggs and how potential donors can be protected from exploitation.
Sheena Young, Infertility Network UK Regional Coordinator for Scotland, will comment that the recruitment of both egg and sperm donors is at crisis point in many parts of the UK. Here in Scotland, all IVF clinics have waiting lists of over 5 years for egg donation treatment, so although research is crucial, the greatest priority for donated gametes must be to treat those who are suffering the effects of infertility.
Diane Beeson, US women’s health activist and medical sociologist, will state that the health risks of egg extraction techniques have not been fully revealed to the public and women’s health shouldn’t be sacrificed in the pursuit of scientific stardom.
Donna Dickenson, Emeritus Professor of Medical Ethics University of London will add that women who donate are not really research subjects: merely suppliers of ‘raw materials.’ The question is not whether women should be free to donate, but whether clinicians should be free to ask them.
The event is run by the Public Engagement in Stem Cell Research team, based at the University of Edinburgh. The event is also supported by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the ESRC Social Science Stem Cell Initiative, the ESRC Innogen Centre and the ESRC Genomics Policy and Research Forum.
Sarah Cunningham-Burley, Professor of Medical and Family Sociology, University of Edinburgh, chairing the debate said: ‘Promoting wider discussion of egg donation for medical research will help different people have their say. We hope this event will stimulate further debate and feed into the decisions that will be made’.
This ticketed public debate is on 23 November 2006 from 7.15-8.45pm at Our Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh. For further information contact: 0131 650 2451
Ends
Contact name: Emma-Elizabeth Capewell 0131 651 4746/ 07967 819277
Note to Editors:
Notes to Editors
For interviews or further information, please contact:Emma-Elizabeth Capewell 0131 651 4746/ 07967 819277
¹ Debate panellists are:Diane Beeson, Chair of the Department of Sociology and Social Services at California State University, East Bay
Dr Daniel Brison, Scientific Director, Department of Reproductive Medicine, St. Mary's Hospital, Manchester
Sarah Cunningham-Burley (Chair), Innogen associate and Professor of Medical and Family Sociology, Community Health Sciences and Centre for Research on Families and Relationships, University of Edinburgh
Donna Dickenson, Emeritus Professor of Medical Ethics, University of London
Sheena Young, Infertility Network UK Regional Coordinator for Scotland
Harry Griffin, Director, Roslin Institute, Edinburgh
² Egg sharing is when a woman undergoing IVF treatment donates a portion of her eggs and receives reduced treatment costs in return. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) recently gave the North East England Stem Cell Institute (NESCI) team permission to operate an egg sharing arrangement for research purposes.
³The HFEA launched a public consultation, ‘Donating eggs for research: safeguarding donors’ on 8 September 2006.
The Public Engagement in Stem Cell Research project is a 3 year study funded by the ESRC & Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) to explore the scope for public engagement in stem cell research. It has two parallel aims: firstly, to explore the social, cultural and ethical issues generated by stem cell research; and secondly, to assess a range of public engagement techniques.
The research team are: Stephen Bates, Ana Coutinho, Sarah Cunningham Burley, Wendy Faulkner, Sarah Parry, Austin Smith, Lisa Wood.
For further information visit Talking Stem Cells.
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