TY - JOUR

T1 - A framework for the ethical assessment of chimeric animal research involving human neural tissue

AU - Porsdam Mann, Sebastian

AU - Sun, Rosa

AU - Hermerén, Göran

PY - 2019/1/25

Y1 - 2019/1/25

N2 - BACKGROUND: Animal models of human diseases are often used in biomedical research in place of human subjects. However, results obtained by animal models may fail to hold true for humans. One way of addressing this problem is to make animal models more similar to humans by placing human tissue into animal models, rendering them chimeric. Since technical and ethical limitations make neurological disorders difficult to study in humans, chimeric models with human neural tissue could help advance our understanding of neuropathophysiology.MAIN BODY: In this article, we examine whether the introduction of human neural tissue and any consequent cognitive change is relevant to the way we ought to treat chimeras. We argue that changes in cognitive abilities are morally relevant to the extent that they increase the capacities that affect the moral status of any entity, including awareness, autonomy, and sociability. We posit that no being, regardless of species, should be treated in a way that is incommensurate with its moral status. Finally, we propose a framework that can be used to guide ethical assessment of research involving chimeras with advanced cognitive capacities.CONCLUSION: We advance this framework as a useful tool for bringing relevant considerations to the forefront for those considering the ethical merit of proposed chimeric research. In doing so, we examine concepts relevant to the question of how any entity may be treated, including moral status, dignity, and capacities.

AB - BACKGROUND: Animal models of human diseases are often used in biomedical research in place of human subjects. However, results obtained by animal models may fail to hold true for humans. One way of addressing this problem is to make animal models more similar to humans by placing human tissue into animal models, rendering them chimeric. Since technical and ethical limitations make neurological disorders difficult to study in humans, chimeric models with human neural tissue could help advance our understanding of neuropathophysiology.MAIN BODY: In this article, we examine whether the introduction of human neural tissue and any consequent cognitive change is relevant to the way we ought to treat chimeras. We argue that changes in cognitive abilities are morally relevant to the extent that they increase the capacities that affect the moral status of any entity, including awareness, autonomy, and sociability. We posit that no being, regardless of species, should be treated in a way that is incommensurate with its moral status. Finally, we propose a framework that can be used to guide ethical assessment of research involving chimeras with advanced cognitive capacities.CONCLUSION: We advance this framework as a useful tool for bringing relevant considerations to the forefront for those considering the ethical merit of proposed chimeric research. In doing so, we examine concepts relevant to the question of how any entity may be treated, including moral status, dignity, and capacities.

KW - Animal Experimentation/ethics

KW - Animal Welfare/ethics

KW - Animals

KW - Animals, Genetically Modified

KW - Biomedical Enhancement

KW - Biomedical Research/ethics

KW - Chimera

KW - Disease Models, Animal

KW - Ethical Analysis

KW - Ethics, Research

KW - Humans

KW - Morals

KW - Neurophysiology/education

KW - Personal Autonomy

KW - Personhood

KW - Respect

U2 - 10.1186/s12910-019-0345-2

DO - 10.1186/s12910-019-0345-2

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 30683100

VL - 20

SP - 10

JO - BMC Medical Ethics

JF - BMC Medical Ethics

SN - 1472-6939

IS - 1

ER -