Document Detail


Some ethical aspects of xenotransplantation in light of the proposed European directive on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20692423     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Unlike what has happened in other times, society in general and especially the scientific community has become aware that animals share our sensitivity to pain and the capacity to suffer. In this regard, it is generally accepted that animals must be protected from all types of abuse. In fact, it is unavoidable today that animals used in scientific experiments enjoy the maximum degree of protection and well-being. This view is based on an ecocentric notion of living matter as opposed to the traditional anthropocentric approach because it has become evident that ethics should not be limited to those belonging to the same species. Likewise, there is a broad consensus-with the exception of members of certain animal protection groups-regarding the need to experiment with animals, when no alternative methods (AM) are available, given that the current state of scientific knowledge still does not allow for this type of experimentation to be entirely abolished. Nevertheless, we must keep in mind that not every scientific procedure in which animals are used is legitimate. On one side of the scale that symbolizes the legislation in this field, we find the weight of science and safety, and on the other side, the weight of ethics. In this article we have reviewed some of the main ethical criteria that serve as a basis to balance the scale, in other words, to guide and legalize animal experimentation in the field of xenotransplantation (XT). To that end, we take into account the current revisions made to the European Directive regarding the welfare of animals used in scientific procedures (86/609/EEC), in order to reflect, in turn, on the following issue: where is European institutional ethics headed on this issue?
Authors:
M Jorqui-Azofra; C M Romeo-Casabona
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Transplantation proceedings     Volume:  42     ISSN:  1873-2623     ISO Abbreviation:  Transplant. Proc.     Publication Date:    2010 Jul-Aug
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-08-09     Completed Date:  2011-01-14     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0243532     Medline TA:  Transplant Proc     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  2122-5     Citation Subset:  IM    
Copyright Information:
Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Affiliation:
Inter-University Chair BBVA Foundation-Provincial Government of Biscay in Law and the Human Genome University of Deusto and University of the Basque Country, Bilbao, Spain. mjorqui@genomelaw.deusto.es
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Animal Testing Alternatives / ethics,  legislation & jurisprudence
Animal Welfare / ethics*,  legislation & jurisprudence,  standards
Animals
Bioethics
Ethics, Medical*
Europe
Humans
Spain
Transplantation, Heterologous / ethics*,  legislation & jurisprudence

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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