scholarly journals The ethical-normative lack in Brazilian regulation of assisted reproductive techniques: the instrumentalization of human embryos for medical-scientistic knowledge through Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kalline Carvalho Gonçalves Eler

This paper pursues a better interpretation of the new reproductive technologies by making a counterpoint to the scientistic bias of bills being processed in the country that excels in defending the interests of professionals, especially in clinics and laboratories, disregarding the new person generated. The social and scientific relevance of the subject is to reflect on the necessity of attention and caution in the implementation of the new technologies for breeding. Today, technological advancement is closely tied to the means of acquiring power and lacks evaluative constructs. There is a risk of disrespecting constitutional rights. The primary objective of this research is to seek a new valuation of human, social and juristic scientific and technological innovations in the field of assisted reproduction. To attain this end, we will adopt the content analysis methodology, taking as theoretical framework the concept of person developed by Robert Spaemann.

2017 ◽  
Vol 242 (17) ◽  
pp. 1690-1700 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandria N Young ◽  
Georgette Moyle-Heyrman ◽  
J Julie Kim ◽  
Joanna E Burdette

Microphysiologic systems (MPS), including new organ-on-a-chip technologies, recapitulate tissue microenvironments by employing specially designed tissue or cell culturing techniques and microfluidic flow. Such systems are designed to incorporate physiologic factors that conventional 2D or even 3D systems cannot, such as the multicellular dynamics of a tissue–tissue interface or physical forces like fluid sheer stress. The female reproductive system is a series of interconnected organs that are necessary to produce eggs, support embryo development and female health, and impact the functioning of non-reproductive tissues throughout the body. Despite its importance, the human reproductive tract has received less attention than other organ systems, such as the liver and kidney, in terms of modeling with MPS. In this review, we discuss current gaps in the field and areas for technological advancement through the application of MPS. We explore current MPS research in female reproductive biology, including fertilization, pregnancy, and female reproductive tract diseases, with a focus on their clinical applications. Impact statement This review discusses existing microphysiologic systems technology that may be applied to study of the female reproductive tract, and those currently in development to specifically investigate gametes, fertilization, embryo development, pregnancy, and diseases of the female reproductive tract. We focus on the clinical applicability of these new technologies in fields such as assisted reproductive technologies, drug testing, disease diagnostics, and personalized medicine.


2007 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacques Suaudeau

La diagnosi genetica pre-impiantatoria (Preimplantation genetic diagnosis o PGD) è una tecnica nella quale gli embrioni umani prodotti in vitro per realizzare le tecniche di fecondazione artificiale, vengono selezionati, dal punto di vista genetico, tramite lo studio di uno o di due blastomeri prelevati con una biopsia. Dai reports relativi all’uso della PGD emergono tre punti critici: il primo riguarda le conseguenze della biopsia sullo sviluppo dell’embrione; il secondo la notevole perdita di embrioni nel processo; il terzo l’esattezza diagnostica, con la presenza di falsi positivi e falsi negativi. Oltre al fatto che la PGD è legata alle tecniche di fecondazione artificiale, e, in particolare, alla ICSI, da un punto di vista etico l’obiezione di fondo è che tale pratica si basa su una scarsa considerazione del valore dell’embrione umano. L’aumento della pratica della PGD e l’estensione delle sue indicazioni a casi sempre meno gravi e meno giustificabili dal punto di vista medico è preoccupante. ---------- Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is a technique in which early human embryos, obtained in vitro to realize artificial fertilization techniques, are genetically screened for selection, through the study of one or two blastomeres taken by biopsy. Reports on the use of PGD in the world make clear that there are three critical points in it: first regards with consequences of biopsy on developing embryo; second in consideration of the important loss of human embryos in the screening process; third related to inaccuracy of diagnosis, with the presence of false positives and false negatives. Besides the fact that PGD is relate to artificial reproductive techniques, generally to ICSI, the basic ethical objection is based on an undervaluation of the value of human embryos. From a medical point of view the increasing use of PGD and the extension of its indications to cases always more futile and less justified is preoccupying.


2007 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacques Suaudeau

La diagnosi genetica pre-impiantatoria (Preimplantation genetic diagnosis o PGD) è una tecnica nella quale gli embrioni umani prodotti in vitro per le tecniche di fecondazione artificiale, vengono selezionati, nelle prime fasi di sviluppo, dal punto di vista genetico, tramite lo studio di uno o due blastomeri prelevati con una biopsia. Gli embrioni non affetti da malattie vengono poi trasferiti nell’utero. La PGD è stata introdotta agli inizi degli anni ’90 in alternativa alla diagnosi prenatale per coppie per le quali fosse alto il rischio di trasmettere un difetto genetico. Negli anni successivi è stata adoperata per altre indicazioni come l’individuazione delle anomalie cromosomiche, la ricerca delle aneuploidie, la selezione “sociale” del sesso, la selezione degli embrioni secondo il tipo di Human Leukocit Antigen (HLA) e l’individuazione di malattie genetiche ad esordio tardivo. Dai reports relativi all’uso della PGD nel mondo emergono, tuttavia, tre punti critici: il primo riguarda l’esattezza diagnostica, con la presenza di falsi positivi e falsi negativi; la seconda, la notevole perdita di embrioni umani nel processo; la terza, i risultati della PGD in termini di nascita di bambini sani. ---------- The preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is a technique in which early human embryos, obtained in vitro for artificial fertilization techniques, are genetically screened for selection, through study of one or two blastomeres taken by biopsy. The embryos, that are healthy, are transferred to uterus. The PGD has been introduced in the early 1990s as an alternative to prenata1 diagnosis for couples at high risk of transmitting a genetic defect. It has been subsequently extended to other indications as the individualization of chromosomal abnormalities, the research of the aneuploidies, the “social selection of sex”, the selection of the embryos according to the type of Human Leukocit Antigen (HLA) and the individualization of late-onset genetic diseases. But the reports concerning with the use of PGD in the world make clear that there are three critical points: the first deals with the diagnostic accuracy, with the presence of false positives and false negatives; the second, with the wide loss of embryos during the process; the third, with the outcomes of the PGD in terms of birth of healthy babies.


Author(s):  
Salvador Francisco RUIZ-MEDRANO ◽  
Martha Leticia GUEVARA-SANGINÉS

On October 10, 2018, the decree initiative to issue the Law to Regulate Financial Technology Institutions was presented to the Senate. The purpose of this Law is to grant legal support to financial services within the new technologies, the analysis of this Law becomes crucial to understand the new economic and business dynamics in our country. Goals. The primary objective is to unravel the authentic ratio legis of this new Law from a literal interpretation and attached to legal formalism. The method used for this dissertation is composed of a logical-legal analysis of deductive type to find the true meaning that the legislator intends to give it and its motivations to create this regulation. It is expected that this analysis will contribute to a better understanding of the Law and its contributions in the social and economic aspects that will lead to a relatively short period of time.


2003 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 235-252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank van Balen ◽  
Marcia C. Inhorn

Throughout recorded history, humans have tried to influence the sex of their offspring, through pregnancy injunctions, infanticide, and infant/child neglect. Reproductive technologies developed in the late 20th century allow determination of the sex of the offspring during pregnancy, making “sex selection” through abortion possible. Especially in parts of East and South Asia, sex selection against female fetuses has had dramatic consequences for male/female sex ratios. However, “newer” new reproductive technologies, such as prenatal genetic diagnosis and DNA-weighted semen selection, can now be applied for sex selection; eventually, the latter technology may become easily accessible as a noninvasive method. The prospects of these new technologies for sex selection must be considered in the light of cultural values surrounding son preference / daughter discrimination in many parts of the world, most notably Asia, as well as preferences for a “gender-balanced” family in much of the West. The ethical issues surrounding these technologies, such as the right to life and the equal treatment of female children, are potentially profound, but legislating the appropriate use of these “newest” new reproductive technologies will be difficult.


Acta Naturae ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 88-96
Author(s):  
Yu. K. Doronin ◽  
I. V. Senechkin ◽  
L. V. Hilkevich ◽  
M. A. Kurcer

In order to estimate the diversity of embryo cleavage relatives to embryo progress (blastocyst formation), time-lapse imaging data of preimplantation human embryo development were used. This retrospective study is focused on the topographic features and time parameters of the cleavages, with particular emphasis on the lengths of cleavage cycles and the genealogy of blastomeres in 2- to 8-cell human embryos. We have found that all 4-cell human embryos have four developmental variants that are based on the sequence of appearance and orientation of cleavage planes during embryo cleavage from 2 to 4 blastomeres. Each variant of cleavage shows a strong correlation with further developmental dynamics of the embryos (different cleavage cycle characteristics as well as lengths of blastomere cycles). An analysis of the sequence of human blastomere divisions allowed us to postulate that the effects of zygotic determinants are eliminated as a result of cleavage, and that, thereafter, blastomeres acquire the ability of own syntheses, regulation, polarization, formation of functional contacts, and, finally, of specific differentiation. This data on the early development of human embryos obtained using noninvasive methods complements and extend our understanding of the embryogenesis of eutherian mammals and may be applied in the practice of reproductive technologies.


2016 ◽  
pp. 166-170
Author(s):  
Y.V. Masliy ◽  
◽  
I.O. Sudoma ◽  
P.S. Mazur ◽  
D.A. Mykytenko ◽  
...  

The objective: to study the possibility of using frozen blastocysts for biopsy and genetic testing and performance measurement transfer euploeded 5–7-day-old embryos after thawing, biopsies, refreezing and thawing in patients with unsuccessful implantation. Patients and methods. The object of the study was the group of patients with repeated failure of implantation (4) in programs of auxiliary reproductive technologies (ART), subject to transfer to the uterus in total (i.e. in all the programs) for at least 6 good quality embryos based on morphological characteristics). All women had sufficient ovarian reserve. The patient was treated for infertility within the ART programs of the clinic of reproductive medicine "Nadiya" in the period from 2006 to 2016. The sample included couples who were not carriers of chromosomal rearrangements, without anomalies of the uterus (congenital and acquired: a doubling of the uterus, one-horned uterus, intrauterine membrane, synechia, submucous myoma of the uterus). All women had a positive ovarian response to controlled stimulation with gonadotropins (at least 7 oocytes) and a sufficient number of cryopreserved embryos. The first group (G1) included 64 women who trophectodermal a biopsy was performed on fresh blastocysts (in a loop controlled ovarian hyperstimulation). The second group (G2) were included 31 women who underwent thawing previously cryopreserved blastocysts trophectodermal re-biopsy and vitrification of blastocysts. Results. It was found that the performance of transfers euploid embryos that were vitrified, bioptrone and revitriphted, a little lower than those that were bioptrone fresh and vitrified only once. At the same time computationa genetic diagnosis previously vitrified blastocysts using comparative genome hybridization in patients with recurrent failed implantation allows to obtain a reasonable pregnancy rate (58%), implantation rate (33.3 %) and the birth of living children (45.1 %). Conclusion. Reprising biopropane embryos does not cause significant destructive impact and allows you to achieve pregnancy and birth of the alive child. Key words: in vitro fertilization, reusable unsuccessful implantation, a method of comparative genome hybridization, refreezing.


Author(s):  
N.A. Altinnik , S.S. Zenin , V.V. Komarova et all

The article discusses the factors that determine the content of the legal limitations of pre-implantation genetic diagnosis in the framework of the in vitro fertilization procedure, taking into account international experience and modern domestic regulatory legal regulation of the field of assisted reproductive technologies. The authors substantiates the conclusion that it is necessary to legislate a list of medical indications for preimplantation genetic diagnosis, as well as the categories of hereditary or other genetic diseases diagnosed in the framework of this procedure.


Emerging technologies have always played an important role in armed conflict. From the crossbow to cyber capabilities, technology that could be weaponized to create an advantage over an adversary has inevitably found its way into military arsenals for use in armed conflict. The weaponization of emerging technologies, however, raises challenging legal issues with respect to the law of armed conflict. As States continue to develop and exploit new technologies, how will the law of armed conflict address the use of these technologies on the battlefield? Is existing law sufficient to regulate new technologies, such as cyber capabilities, autonomous weapons systems, and artificial intelligence? Have emerging technologies fundamentally altered the way we should understand concepts such as law-of-war precautions and the principle of distinction? How can we ensure compliance and accountability in light of technological advancement? This book explores these critical questions while highlighting the legal challenges—and opportunities—presented by the use of emerging technologies on the battlefield.


Author(s):  
Michael Szollosy

This chapter introduces the “Perspectives” section of the Handbook of Living Machines offering an overview of the different contributions gathered here that consider how biomimetic and biohybrid systems will transform our personal lives and social organizations, and how we might respond to the challenges that these transformations will inevitably pose to our ‘posthuman’ worlds. The authors in this section see it as essential that those who aspire to create living machines engage with the public to confront misconceptions, deep anxieties, and unrealistic aspirations that presently dominate the cultural imagination, and to include potential users in questions of design and utility as new technologies are being developed. Human augmentation and enhancement are other important themes addressed, raising important questions about what it means fundamentally to be ‘human’. These questions and challenges are addressed through the lens of the social and personal impacts of new technologies on human selves, the public imagination, ethics, and human relationships.


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