title: [Ethical aspects of human embryonic stem cell use and commercial umbilical cord blood stem cell banking. Ethical reflections on the occasion of the regulation of the European Council and Parliament on advanced therapy medicinal products].
abstract: The regulation of the European Council and Parliament on advanced therapy medicinal products also includes therapies with human embryonic stem cells. The use of these stem cells is controversially and heavily discussed. Contrary to the use of adult stem cells, medical and ethical problems concerning the use of human embryonic stem cells persists, because this use is based on the destruction of human life at the very beginning. The regulation foresees, therefore, subsidiarity within the European Member States. Although there are no ethical problems in principle with the use of stem cells from the umbilical cord blood, there are social ethical doubts with the banking of these stem cells for autologous use without any currently foreseeable medical advantage by commercial blood banks. Also in this case subsidiarity is valid.
authors.affiliation: guenter.virt@univie.ac.at
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Virt
mesh_terms: D001688:Biological Products / Q000592:standards*; D001691:Biological Therapy / Q000941:ethics*; D036101:Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D033041:Embryo Research / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells; D032984:Ethics, Research; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D017149:Private Sector / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D014015:Tissue Banks / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence
chemical_list: D001688:Biological Products