Bioethical Considerations for the Medical Use of In Vitro Embryogenesis

In vitro embryogenesis is a revolutionary technology were researchers are able to culture stem cells, currently from mice, and differentiate the culture into an embryo showing key developmental characteristics. This technology has extensive medical benefits through creating a collection of genetically identical tissues and organs from which patients can receive treatment options. However, there are significant ethical objections to growing an embryo simply to destroy it and take its tissues and organs. Using ethical discussions of in vitro fertilization and abortion ethics, I was able to develop a framework to begin to solve these ethical discussions by identifying several physiologic reductions, which instead make a reservoir of tissue rather than a rational being.