Research and the Human Embryo

• Author: Maureen McTeer
• Pages: 131-137

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– chapter eleven –

Research and the Human Embryo

INTRODUCTION

While it is beyond the scope of this book to handle both the science and

the myriad related issues raised by research on human embryos,  this area

of medical-scientic research will continue to present Canadians — espe-

cially legislators and judges — with pressing public health and research

policy challenges and choices. How we resolve these thorny ethical and

legal issues will play a critical role in determining what it will mean to

be human in the future.

Part ree focuses on some of the research that is being done on

human embryos and the purpose and potential of such research. It then

identies and discusses some of the issues that present complex and con-

troversial challenges to law and public policy. Chapter  addresses the

issue of genetic testing when used in reproduction and the law that gov-

erns genetic testing and discrimination. Chapter  looks at human germ-

line and heritable genome editing. Germline genome editing involves

making genetic changes to gamete precursor cells, eggs, sperm, or early-

stage embryos in the laboratory. Heritable genome editing includes a

further step; namely, the transfer of genetically modied embryos to

initiate a pregnancy. Chapter  lists how some international groups and

organizations have responded to the research on heritable human gen-

ome editing.