Ethical considerations on the moral status of the embryo and embryo-like structures†

Writing Group of the ESHRE Ethics Committee; Guido Pennings; Wybo Dondorp; Mina Popovic; Susana Chuva de Sousa Lopes; Heidi Mertes

doi:10.1093/humrep/deae228

Ethical considerations on the moral status of the embryo and embryo-like structures†

Hum Reprod. 2024 Nov 1;39(11):2387-2391. doi: 10.1093/humrep/deae228.

Authors

Writing Group of the ESHRE Ethics Committee; Guido Pennings¹, Wybo Dondorp², Mina Popovic³, Susana Chuva de Sousa Lopes^{4

5}, Heidi Mertes^{1

6}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Philosophy and Moral Science, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
² Department of Health, Ethics and Society, GROW Research Institute for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
³ Eugin Group, Barcelona, Spain.
⁴ Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent Fertility and Stem Cell Team (G-FaST), Universitair Ziekenhuis Gent, Ghent, Belgium.
⁵ Department of Anatomy and Embryology and The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW), Leids Universitair Medisch Centrum, Leiden, The Netherlands.
⁶ Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.

Abstract

The current article provides an ethical reflection on the moral status of the human embryo, which is a crucial factor in determining permissible actions involving embryos and the extent of their protection. It advocates for the extension of the research period for embryos to 28-days post fertilization. It also states that integrated embryo-like structures (ELSs) should not currently be given the same moral status as natural embryos. However, if they pass the relevant tests, they should be subject to the same rules as natural embryos.

Keywords: 14-day rule; ART; embryo model; embryo research; ethics; pre-implantation embryo.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Embryo Research* / ethics
Embryo, Mammalian*
Humans
Moral Status*
Morals

Grants and funding

European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology