人類胚胎幹細胞的倫理考量

Ethical Considerations of Human Embryonic Stem Cells

10.6145/jme.200406_8(2).0006

張立明(Li-Ming Chang)

胚胎幹細胞 ； 倫理 ； 幹細胞 ； 醫學研究

Journal of Medical Education

8卷2期（2004 / 06 / 01）

189 - 201

繁體中文

人類胚胎幹细胞相關議題是近幾年全世界科學、倫理、法律辯論最多的話題之一，本文首先介紹胚胎幹細胞的科學層面與目前歐美现行法律，接著将醫學倫理的思辨簡化成两個問題：一、胚胎算不算是一條人命？二、如果胚胎也是條人命，我们可否为了救看得见的病人来犧牲看不见的胚胎？針對第一個問題，筆者列舉多種不同論點並一一予以回應。對於第二個問題，筆者以效益主義的限度，替代方案的機會，醫學研究的神話，以及治療性複製内涵的探討四個面向来討論這些問題。結論是，醫療的基本精神是關心並尊重每一個無助軟弱的生命，這是醫者自古以来受到敬重的原因。今天若为了經濟發展或學術目的，反過来犧牲無言的小生命来從事高度爭議性的實驗，恐怕不但未必能達到最後治療疾病的目標，更失去了對人命的最基本尊重與保護，也失去大家對醫療专業的尊敬，其社會成本會是難以估計的。

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