John B. Appleby

Mitochondrial Replacement: Ethics and Identity.

Abstract Mitochondrial replacement techniques (MRTs) have the potential to allow prospective parents who are at risk of passing on debilitating or even life‐threatening mitochondrial disorders to have healthy children to whom they are genetically related. Ethical concerns have however been raised about these techniques. This article focuses on one aspect of the ethical debate, the question of whether there is any moral difference between the two types of MRT proposed: Pronuclear Transfer (PNT) and Maternal Spindle Transfer (MST). It examines how questions of identity impact on the ethical evaluation of each technique and argues that there is an important difference between the two. PNT, it is argued, is a form of therapy based on embryo modification while MST is, instead, an instance of selective reproduction. The articles main ethical conclusion is that, in some circumstances, there is a stronger obligation to use PNT than MST.

Reproductive donation : practice, policy, and bioethics

1. Introduction Martin Richards, Guido Pennings and John B. Appleby 2. The biology of donation Martin Johnson 3. Ethics for reproductive donation Robert Klitzman 4. Parenthood: whose right is it anyway? Anja Karnein 5. Reproductive donation: global perspectives and cultural diversity Zeynep B. Gurtin and Effy Vayena 6. UK and USA perspectives on the regulation of reproductive donation Theresa Glennon 7. Gamete and embryo donation: a legal view from Spain Yolanda Garcia-Ruiz and Diana Guerra-Diaz 8. The legal and ethical regulation of transnational donation Guido Pennings and Zeynep B. Gurtin 9. Balancing ethical criteria for the recruitment of gamete donors Guido Pennings, Effy Vayena and Kamal Ahuja 10. Challenges in intra-family donation Effy Vayena and Susan Golombok 11. ARTs and the single parent Susanna Graham and Andrea Braverman 12. Reproductive donation and justice for gay and lesbian couples John B. Appleby, Sarah Jennings and Helen Statham 13. Is disclosure in the best interests of the children conceived by donation? John B. Appleby, Lucy Blake and Tabitha Freeman 14. Identifiable donors and siblings: implications for the future Tabitha Freeman, John B. Appleby and Vasanti Jadva 15. Ethical issues in embryo donation Fiona MacCallum and Heather Widdows 16. Reproduction through surrogacy: the UK and USA experience Andrea Braverman, Polly Casey and Vasanti Jadva 17. Some conclusions regarding the interaction of normative and descriptive elements in reproductive donation Guido Pennings.

Should mitochondrial donation be anonymous

Abstract Currently in the United Kingdom, anyone donating gametes has the status of an open-identity donor. This means that, at the age of 18, persons conceived with gametes donated since April 1, 2005 have a right to access certain pieces of identifying information about their donor. However, in early 2015, the UK Parliament approved new regulations that make mitochondrial donors anonymous. Both mitochondrial donation and gamete donation are similar in the basic sense that they involve the contribution of gamete materials to create future persons. Given this similarity, this paper presumes that both types of donor should be treated the same and made open-identity under the law, unless there is a convincing argument for treating them differently. I argue that none of the existing arguments that have been made so far in favor of mitochondrial donor anonymity are convincing and mitochondrial donors should therefore be treated as open-identity donors under UK law.

Regulating reproductive donation

The emergence of new empirical evidence and ethical debate about families created by assisted reproduction has called into question the current regulatory frameworks that govern reproductive donation in many countries. In this multidisciplinary book, social scientists, ethicists and lawyers offer fresh perspectives on the current challenges facing the regulation of reproductive donation, and suggest possible ways forward. They address questions such as: what might people want to know about the circumstances of their conception? Should we limit the number of children donors can produce? Is it wrong to pay donors or to reward them with cut-price fertility treatments? Is overseas surrogacy exploitative of women from poor communities? Combining the latest empirical research with analysis of ethics, policy and legislation, the book focuses on the regulation of gamete and embryo donation and surrogacy at a time when more people are considering assisted reproduction and when new techniques and policies are underway.

Mitochondrial Replacement Techniques: Remaining Ethical Challenges

Recent developments in the field of mitochondrial replacement technique (MRT) research and clinical practice have raised ethical concerns worldwide. We argue that the future use of MRTs requires a concerted effort among the global research and clinical community to implement and enforce responsible innovation and governance.

Should the 14‐day rule for embryo research become the 28‐day rule?

The “14‐day rule”—broadly construed—is used in science policy and regulation to limit research on human embryos to a maximum period of 14 days after their creation or to the equivalent stage of development that is normally attributed to a 14‐day‐old embryo (Hyun et al, ; Nuffield Council on Bioethics, ). For several decades, the 14‐day rule has been a shining example of how science policy and regulation can be developed with interdisciplinary consensus and applied across a number of countries to help fulfil an ethical and practical purpose: to facilitate efficient and ethical embryo research. However, advances in embryology and biomedical research have led to suggestions that the 14‐day rule is no longer adequate (Deglincerti et al, ; Shahbazi et al, ; Hurlbut et al, ). Therefore, should the 14‐day rule be extended and, if so, where should we draw a new line for permissible embryo research? Here, we provide scientific, regulatory and ethical arguments that the 14‐day rule should be extended to 28 days (or the developmental equivalent stage of a 28‐day‐old embryo).

Regulating the provision of donor information to donor-conceived children

The emergence of new empirical evidence and ethical debate about families created by assisted reproduction has called into question the current regulatory frameworks that govern reproductive donation in many countries. In this multidisciplinary book, social scientists, ethicists and lawyers offer fresh perspectives on the current challenges facing the regulation of reproductive donation, and suggest possible ways forward. They address questions such as: what might people want to know about the circumstances of their conception? Should we limit the number of children donors can produce? Is it wrong to pay donors or to reward them with cut-price fertility treatments? Is overseas surrogacy exploitative of women from poor communities? Combining the latest empirical research with analysis of ethics, policy and legislation, the book focuses on the regulation of gamete and embryo donation and surrogacy at a time when more people are considering assisted reproduction and when new techniques and policies are underway.

Reproductive Donation: Contributors

1. Introduction Martin Richards, Guido Pennings and John B. Appleby 2. The biology of donation Martin Johnson 3. Ethics for reproductive donation Robert Klitzman 4. Parenthood: whose right is it anyway? Anja Karnein 5. Reproductive donation: global perspectives and cultural diversity Zeynep B. Gurtin and Effy Vayena 6. UK and USA perspectives on the regulation of reproductive donation Theresa Glennon 7. Gamete and embryo donation: a legal view from Spain Yolanda Garcia-Ruiz and Diana Guerra-Diaz 8. The legal and ethical regulation of transnational donation Guido Pennings and Zeynep B. Gurtin 9. Balancing ethical criteria for the recruitment of gamete donors Guido Pennings, Effy Vayena and Kamal Ahuja 10. Challenges in intra-family donation Effy Vayena and Susan Golombok 11. ARTs and the single parent Susanna Graham and Andrea Braverman 12. Reproductive donation and justice for gay and lesbian couples John B. Appleby, Sarah Jennings and Helen Statham 13. Is disclosure in the best interests of the children conceived by donation? John B. Appleby, Lucy Blake and Tabitha Freeman 14. Identifiable donors and siblings: implications for the future Tabitha Freeman, John B. Appleby and Vasanti Jadva 15. Ethical issues in embryo donation Fiona MacCallum and Heather Widdows 16. Reproduction through surrogacy: the UK and USA experience Andrea Braverman, Polly Casey and Vasanti Jadva 17. Some conclusions regarding the interaction of normative and descriptive elements in reproductive donation Guido Pennings.

Reproductive Donation: Contents

1. Introduction Martin Richards, Guido Pennings and John B. Appleby 2. The biology of donation Martin Johnson 3. Ethics for reproductive donation Robert Klitzman 4. Parenthood: whose right is it anyway? Anja Karnein 5. Reproductive donation: global perspectives and cultural diversity Zeynep B. Gurtin and Effy Vayena 6. UK and USA perspectives on the regulation of reproductive donation Theresa Glennon 7. Gamete and embryo donation: a legal view from Spain Yolanda Garcia-Ruiz and Diana Guerra-Diaz 8. The legal and ethical regulation of transnational donation Guido Pennings and Zeynep B. Gurtin 9. Balancing ethical criteria for the recruitment of gamete donors Guido Pennings, Effy Vayena and Kamal Ahuja 10. Challenges in intra-family donation Effy Vayena and Susan Golombok 11. ARTs and the single parent Susanna Graham and Andrea Braverman 12. Reproductive donation and justice for gay and lesbian couples John B. Appleby, Sarah Jennings and Helen Statham 13. Is disclosure in the best interests of the children conceived by donation? John B. Appleby, Lucy Blake and Tabitha Freeman 14. Identifiable donors and siblings: implications for the future Tabitha Freeman, John B. Appleby and Vasanti Jadva 15. Ethical issues in embryo donation Fiona MacCallum and Heather Widdows 16. Reproduction through surrogacy: the UK and USA experience Andrea Braverman, Polly Casey and Vasanti Jadva 17. Some conclusions regarding the interaction of normative and descriptive elements in reproductive donation Guido Pennings.

Reproductive Donation: Acknowledgements

1. Introduction Martin Richards, Guido Pennings and John B. Appleby 2. The biology of donation Martin Johnson 3. Ethics for reproductive donation Robert Klitzman 4. Parenthood: whose right is it anyway? Anja Karnein 5. Reproductive donation: global perspectives and cultural diversity Zeynep B. Gurtin and Effy Vayena 6. UK and USA perspectives on the regulation of reproductive donation Theresa Glennon 7. Gamete and embryo donation: a legal view from Spain Yolanda Garcia-Ruiz and Diana Guerra-Diaz 8. The legal and ethical regulation of transnational donation Guido Pennings and Zeynep B. Gurtin 9. Balancing ethical criteria for the recruitment of gamete donors Guido Pennings, Effy Vayena and Kamal Ahuja 10. Challenges in intra-family donation Effy Vayena and Susan Golombok 11. ARTs and the single parent Susanna Graham and Andrea Braverman 12. Reproductive donation and justice for gay and lesbian couples John B. Appleby, Sarah Jennings and Helen Statham 13. Is disclosure in the best interests of the children conceived by donation? John B. Appleby, Lucy Blake and Tabitha Freeman 14. Identifiable donors and siblings: implications for the future Tabitha Freeman, John B. Appleby and Vasanti Jadva 15. Ethical issues in embryo donation Fiona MacCallum and Heather Widdows 16. Reproduction through surrogacy: the UK and USA experience Andrea Braverman, Polly Casey and Vasanti Jadva 17. Some conclusions regarding the interaction of normative and descriptive elements in reproductive donation Guido Pennings.