Ethics of International Stem Cell Treatments and the Risk-Benefit of Helping Patients

Abstract

Numerous and diverse participants are involved in the development of novel therapies: patients, physicians, scientists, sponsors, governing bodies, lawmakers, institutional review boards, and bioethics proponents. While the welfare of the patient must always and unquestionably be at the forefront of any intervention along with informed consent, their wishes, their requests, and their expectations should also be considered at every step. The availability of stem cell research in various countries with dissimilar regulatory agencies has opened the door for thought-provoking questions about their validity from an ethical, legal, and moral perspective, which will be addressed in this chapter, framed within the doctor-patient relationship.