Ethics of research and the pregnant patient.
In this chapter, we address ethical issues in research involving fetuses and pregnant women, with particular attention to the emerging issue of gene-transfer research. Ethical analyses and arguments are based on the concept of the fetus as a patient. The implications of this concept for the ethics of fetal research are identified. The discussion of gene-transfer research extends those implications to address issues concerning informed consent, assessment of potential fetal and neonatal morbidity in study design, prenatal diagnosis after gene transfer, selection criteria based on abortion preference, science by press conference, germline risks, and public oversight.
Chervenak
Frank A
FA
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, New York Presbyterian Hospital, 525 East 68th Street--J130, New York, NY 10021, USA. fac2001@med.cornell.edu
McCullough
Laurence B
LB
D037881:Aborted Fetus; D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000941:ethics; D005260:Female; D033042:Fetal Research / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D016332:Fetal Tissue Transplantation / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006805:Human Experimentation / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D011639:Public Opinion; D012107:Research Design; D014481:United States