Overview

Despite years of heated social controversy over the use of human embryos in embryonic stem cell research, the caravan of stem cell science continues to proceed at an unrelenting pace all around the world. Bioethics and the Future of Stem Cell Research urges readers to look beyond the embryo debate to a much wider array of ethical issues in basic stem cell science and clinical translational research, including research involving adult and induced pluripotent stem cells. Insoo Hyun offers valuable insights into complex ethical issues ranging from pre-clinical animal studies to clinical trials and stem cell tourism, all presented through a unique blend of philosophy, literature and the history of science, as well as with Dr Hyun's extensive practical experiences in international stem cell policy formation. This thoughtful book is an indispensable resource for anyone interested in the science of stem cells and the practical and philosophical elements of research ethics.

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9780511816031

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Reviews

Advance praise: 'At last we have a comprehensive review of the crucially important yet enduringly controversial field of stem cell research. Ranging across topics as diverse as philosophy of science, ancient mythology, modern biology, the meaning of language, and the intricacies of FDA requirements for the compassionate use of investigational biologic drugs, Hyun weaves together a story of humanity's latest effort to define, heal, and even regenerate itself.' R. Alta Charo, University of Wisconsin Law School Advance praise: '... a compelling, academically rigorous, and surprisingly entertaining addition to the bioethics literature ... Hyun is a renowned and respected bioethicist. He has also spent a good deal of time with the stem cell research community, and this practical experience shows. He provides an analysis that is both thoroughly readable and informed by the latest research and scientific debates ... this book covers a tremendous amount of ground, including a stellar introduction to bioethics, the relevant science, and the regulation and politics of biomedical research. In many ways, [it] is a book about bioethics and science policy as seen through the lens of stem cells ... should be read by both students who want to learn about the field of bioethics and academics looking for a comprehensive and thoughtful examination of the science and philosophical dilemmas associated with this challenging area of research.' Timothy Caulfield, University of Alberta Advance praise: 'Finally we have a very useful volume that takes us well beyond the ethical issues surrounding embryonic stem cells to a set of important ethical concerns that arise as soon as we mobilize clinical trials using stem cells from any source.' Harold T. Shapiro, Princeton University Advance praise: 'Bioethics and the Future of Stem Cell Research is a thoroughly researched, powerfully argued, and beautifully written book about the epistemological, ethical, and biopolitical challenges surrounding stem cell research. What makes this book such an outstanding achievement is the author's ability to combine analytical and conceptual rigor on the philosophical level with an in-depth engagement with and account of the different research trajectories of stem cell science.' Jan Helge Solbakk, University of Oslo Advance praise: 'If you've been looking for a book on emerging ethical, social, and scientific dimensions of stem cell research, look no further. Insoo Hyun has brought us a fine volume that clearly outlines why ethics matters to biology's most promising field. Hyun pulls off a neat trick, showing how bioethics can successfully grapple with the future of regenerative medicine without compromising its focus on the here and now. I highly recommend it.' Christopher Thomas Scott, Stanford Center for Biomedical Ethics Advance praise: 'As the caravan of stem cell science has raced ahead at breakneck pace over the past decade, Insoo Hyun has been riding shotgun, facilitating some of our field's most critical deliberations, and challenging us to set a socially responsible course for this transformative research. In this wonderfully accessible book for both expert and layperson, Hyun navigates the dynamic relationship between philosophical and research ethics to dissect stem cell research with the philosopher's scalpel, applying the incisive edge of pure reason in perfect balance with the practical imperatives that this new science offers our society. Hyun speaks with an authoritative voice on science, medicine, policy, and philosophical realms in which answers are harder to come by than in the laboratory.' George Q. Daley, Director, Stem Cell Transplantation Program, Children's Hospital and Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and Professor, Harvard Medical School

Author Information

Insoo Hyun is Associate Professor of Bioethics and Philosophy at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. He is an internationally recognized authority on stem cell research ethics. He has advised governmental scientific bodies in the United States, Australia, Argentina, Norway, China, Singapore and South Korea on matters relating to the regulation of basic and translational stem cell research. In 2005, Dr Hyun was awarded a Fulbright Research Award by the U.S. Department of State to study the ethical, legal and cultural dynamics of human research cloning in South Korea. In 2006, he chaired the Subcommittee on Human Biological Materials Procurement for the International Embryonic Stem Cell Guidelines Task Force, a multinational, multidisciplinary working group for the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR). In 2007, he served as Co-Chairperson of the ISSCR Task Force on International Guidelines for the Clinical Translation of Stem Cells. He is also the past Chairperson of the ISSCR's Ethics and Public Policy Committee. His bioethics articles have appeared in Science, Nature, Cell Stem Cell, the Journal of Clinical Investigation, the Hastings Center Report and the Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics, among many other publications.

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