Reproductive and regenerative medicine

In both the EU and China, reproductive medical technologies and stem cell research are advancing rapidly. This includes development of such technologies as in vitro fertilisation, sperm and egg selection, pre-implantation genetic diagnosis and selective implantation of embryos, and the associated creation of human embryonic stem cell lines and development of stem cell technologies. Each technology involves key ethical issues of research governance, such as informed consent, confidentiality, traceability and information feedback.

Following a workshop on reproductive medicine in Beijing (April 2007), a workshop on stem cell research in Shanghai (October 2007) and an international conference held in Changsha (April 2008), BIONET has now rounded off its work on ethical governance issues related to stem cell research, in particular as concerns international scientific collaborations. The findings of this work can be found in the following BIONET publications:

• Workshop Report on Assisted Reproductive Technologies
• Workshop Report on Stem Cell Research
• Conference Report on the Ethical Governance of Reproductive Technologies, Therapeutic Stem Cells and Stem Cell Banks
• BIONET Information Paper: The right mix of biology, metaphysics and culture: stem cell research in Europe and China
• Also: Reporting Bioethics Workshop report, a BIONET satellite event

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