Abstract
This paper focuses on the risk of unknown and uncertain long-term effects of stem cell research and its applications. Research on human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells are used as examples. We discuss some problems that such uncertain knowledge creates for decision makers, and describe how difficult decision making in this context really is. A method for handling this type of hard choice situations is presented and discussed.
The authors wish to thank Anders Castor, Göran Hermerén, Mattias Höglund and Jan Wahlström for constructive comments and help.
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Notes
- 1.
Of course, uncertainties emerge from the fact that the fibroblasts are grown in vitro; ordinary cells live under completely different environmental pressures.
- 2.
Those of us looking at this research area from without wonder why tailor-made differentiated cells are not the best alternative if we wish to avoid uncertainties, i.e., by way, not of inducing uncertainty, but blocking combinatorial possibilities. A multipotent, non-pluripotent, cell does not go off the rails as easily.
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Sahlin, NE., Persson, J., Vareman, N. (2011). Unruhe und Ungewissheit: Stem Cells and Risks. In: Hug, K., Hermerén, G. (eds) Translational Stem Cell Research. Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60761-959-8_30
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60761-959-8_30
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