Question

Case Study: Five years ago, Mr. and Mrs. Smith successfully underwent in vitro fertilization at the (IVF) clinic in their local hospital. Twelve eggs were successfully fertilized, only 4 were implanted. The Smith's signed a contract to freeze their surplus embryos (the other 8 eggs) for possible implantation at a later date. Tragically Mr. and Mrs. Smith died in an automobile accident one-year later. Two years after this the IVF clinic learned of their deaths.

In the hospital there was a research group actively researching therapies for Parkinson's disease. They presented a proposal to the Hospital Ethics Committee to be allowed to use stem cells derived from frozen embryos for research in Parkinson's disease therapy. When the Director of the research team approached the IVF clinic to obtain unused frozen embryos, the head of this clinic had to make a decision on what should be done with the embryos.

****evaluate the ethics using consequentialism

1. No nothing and keep the embryos frozen

2. Destroy the embryos.

3. Offer the embroys for adoption by another family.

4. Offer the embryos to the research team.

5. Sell the embroys to a commercial company involved in embryonic cell research. scroll below for question 1.

Define the components of the principle of Consequentialism.  Restate your choice from above (options 1-5). Now Evaluate your choice by listing a minimum of 5 positive consequences and 5 negatives. Based on consequentialism, does your choice still the best option? Form a conclusion based on the consequences- is your choice still the best option?

I CHOSE OPTION NUMBER ONE. Please only list the 5 pos and 5 negs of making that decision.

Answer 1

Pros:

1. This decision does not cause any break in contract made with Mr and mrs smith

2.legally the action is correct

3. Embryos will be kept safe

4. These embryos can be used later for adoption or research when really needed

5. Ethically right decision to make with no risks

Cons:

1. Researchers do not get human tissue easily and this could have helped them to wasy accessibility to embryo for research purpose.

2. Usually embryo cells are bought from mothers which affects their health. In this case embryo would not have harmed anyone.

3. The reasearchers need to pay extra cost for buying embryo cells.

4. If given for adoption, these embryos could be useful for developing a baby.

5. Doing nothing with embryos will make them of no use.