Research Ethics, especially Stem Cell Research

Innovative medical research often poses special ethical challenges. Stem cell research is an example of such a technology that raises complex ethical questions, especially when it comes to therapeutic applications. Our research addresses the ethical issues arising in the course of its clinical implementation. Through a comparative analysis of debates in Germany, Austria, Great Britain, and the USA, we examined how the medical potential of stem cell research can be fully exploited while ensuring the necessary safety of the patients involved. Relevant stakeholders, scientific committees and the public were involved in the development of appropriate guidelines and evaluation tools.

Publications

• Hansen SL, Heyder C, Wiesemann C (2020) Ethische Analyse der klinischen Forschung mit humanen induzierten pluripotenten Stammzellen. In: Die klinische Anwendung von humanen induzierten pluripotenten Stammzellen. Ein Stakeholder-Sammelband, eds S Gerke, J Taupitz, C Wiesemann, C Kopetzki and H Zimmermann, Heidelberg: Springer, 197-239.
• Heyder C, Hansen SL, and Wiesemann C. 2020. Ethical Aspects of Translating Research with Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Products into Clinical Practice: A Stakeholder Approach. The New Bioethics 26: 3-16.
• Hansen SL, Holetzek T, Heyder C, Wiesemann C (2018): Stakeholder-Beteiligung in der klinischen Forschung: eine ethische Analyse. Ethik in der Medizin 30 (4): 289-305.
• Lenk C, Hoppe N, Beier K, Wiesemann C (Eds.) (2011) Human Tissue Research. A European perspective on the ethical and legal challenges. Oxford, Oxford University Press.
• Deutscher Ethikrat: Stammzellforschung – Neue Herausforderungen für das Klonverbot und den Umgang mit artifiziell erzeugten Keimzellen? (2014) https://www.ethikrat.org/fileadmin/Publikationen/Ad-hoc-Empfehlungen/deutsch/empfehlung-stammzellforschung.pdf