Neural fetal tissue transplants: old and new issues.
Neural fetal tissue transplantation offers promise as a treatment for devastating neurologic conditions such as Parkinson's disease. Two types of issues arise from this procedure: those associated with the use of fetuses, and those associated with the use of neural tissue. The former issues have been examined in many forums; the latter have not. This paper reviews issues and arguments raised by the use of fetal tissue in general, but focuses on the implications of the use of neural tissue for basic concepts of personhood and personal identity.
Nora
L M
LM
Neurology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40506, USA.
Mahowald
M B
MB
D037881:Aborted Fetus / Q000637:transplantation; D000028:Abortion, Induced; D016380:Brain Tissue Transplantation; D028661:Complicity; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005260:Female; D016332:Fetal Tissue Transplantation / Q000941:ethics*; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D009042:Motivation; D009417:Nerve Tissue / Q000637:transplantation*; D028723:Personhood; D037841:Pregnant People; D014180:Transplantation