The Ethics Of New Reproductive Technologies

The new reproductive technologies (NRTs) have given rise to new ethical questions that are widely debated. This book, the outcome of a European Union-wide collaborative process, draws on the experience and expertise of ethicists, lawyers, and clinical practitioners and focuses on some of the "burning issues" in different European countries. These include: donor insemination; surrogacy; preimplantation genetic diagnosis; embryo research; access to IVF treatment; and parental, professional and social responsibility. Familiar notions such as quality of life, parenthood, mothering, responsibility and personal identity surface at many points throughout the book and are refashioned to accommodate new questions. This book introduces and probes ethical questions and challenges in a hands-on way by working through relevant case studies with key commentaries and activities. It engages the reader directly in ethical reasoning and decision-making and provides clear explanations, insightful commentaries and informed debate on NRTs.

Arthur L. Caplan It is commonly said, especially when the subject is assisted reproduction, that medical technology has out stripped our morality. Yet, as the essays in this volume make clear, that is not an accurate assessment of the situ ation. Medical technology has not overwhelmed our moral ity. It would be more accurate to say that our society has not yet achieved consensus about the complex ethical iss ues that arise when medicine tries to assist those who seek its services in order to reproduce. Nevertheless, there is no shortage of ethical opinion about what we ought to do with respect to the use of surrogate mothers, in vitro fertil ization, embryo transfer, artificial insemination, or fertil ity drugs. Nor is it entirely accurate to describe assisted repro duction as technology. The term "technology" carries with it connotations of machines buzzing and technicians scurrying about trying to control a vast array of equip ment. Yet, most of the methods used to assist reproduc tion that are discussed in this volume do not involve exotic technologies or complicated hardware. It is technique, more than technology, that dominates the field of assisted reproduction. Efforts to help the infertile by means of the manipu lation of human reproductive materials and organs date 1 2 Caplan back at least to Biblical times. Human beings have en gaged in all manner of sexual practices and manipulations in attempts to achieve reproduction when nature has balked at allowing life to begin.

"The first paper in this volume of studies presents the ethical framework the Commission adopted: a modified ethic of care and a set of guiding principles that were used as a prism through which to view the technologies. The volume then goes on to explore some of the ethical issues raised by the development and use of new reproductive technologies."--

In the last few decades, as new reproductive technologies have been developed, couples desiring children have increasingly turned to various medical interventions when natural conception has been unsuccessful. These new technologies have raised ethical concerns from various quarters, including medical ethics committees, the American Fertility Society, and the Roman Catholic Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. In this informative overview of the ethical implications of reproductive technologies, philosopher Richard T. Hull offers a cross-section of the thinking of individuals specializing in the ethical and legal problems involved in this new area of medicine. The contributors reflect interests as varied as those of the enthusiastic proponent of the new reproductive technologies, the feminist opposing the exploitation of women, the social critic worrying about erosion of the responsibilities of parenting, and the traditionalist concerned with the transformation of the fundamental moral fabric and social character of the family. Many of the chapters include cases for further discussion and reflection. Also included are three speculative scenarios: selections from Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, and Gena Corea's report of the drive to develop an artificial womb. New to this edition are a glossary, which provides succinct definitions of highly technical terms and Web sites for further information, and a thorough index. This excellent collection of expert articles will stimulate appreciation of the complex and mutitiered character of moral decision-making as it is experienced by patients, medical professionals, and legislators and jurists charged with preserving, protecting, and applying justly the principles of society.

Will procreation become just another commodity in the marketplace with “designer” sperm, ova, and embryos offered for sale? Will the attention and monies focused on the new reproductive technologies take away resources from infertility prevention, prenatal care, and adoption? If states move to regulate such practices, will this encourage widespread governmental interference in reproductive choice? How will society look at the biologically unique children who are the products of genetic manipulation--and more importantly, how will these children view themselves? This controversial book explores the answers to these questions that are frequently being asked as the battles over reproductive technologies and freedoms become more heated and touch more people’s lives. Embryos, Ethics, and Women’s Rights examines both the clinical and personal perspectives of reproductive technologies. Experts explain and debate the growing number of procreative possibilities--in vitro fertilization, genetic manipulation of embryos, embryo transfer, surrogacy, prenatal screening, and the fetus as patient. Some of the leading authorities in the field, including John Robertson, Ruth Hubbard, and Gena Corea, address the ethical, legal, religious, social, and psychological concerns that are inherent in the issues. Essential reading for every person concerned with control over basic issues of human destiny, Embryos, Ethics, and Women’s Rights provides unique and comprehensive coverage on the subject of technologically controlled childbearing and particularly its effects on mothers and their unborn children.

By all indicators, the reproductive health of Americans has been deteriorating since 1980. Our nation is troubled by rates of teen pregnancies and newborn deaths that are worse than almost all others in the Western world. Science and Babies is a straightforward presentation of the major reproductive issues we face that suggests answers for the public. The book discusses how the clash of opinions on sex and family planning prevents us from making a national commitment to reproductive health; why people in the United States have fewer contraceptive choices than those in many other countries; what we need to do to improve social and medical services for teens and people living in poverty; how couples should "shop" for a fertility service and make consumer-wise decisions; and what we can expect in the futureâ€"featuring interesting accounts of potential scientific advances.

Although major breakthroughs in reproductive technology have created dramatic opportunities for many people, they are not without problems. More significant than the question of whether the technologies are "good" or "bad," however, is for whom they are good, in what instances, and to whom they should be made accessible. These issues can be debated at multiple levels; from the ethical implications, to the social and psychological consequences for society and for the individual, to the legal and medical outcomes. Each chapter highlights a different array of problems and benefits, while emphasizing four major themes: the impact of technology on women's lives; the role of women; the individual versus society; and the fetus as patient.