Moral Issues of Human-Non-Human Primate Neural Grafting

摘要

If human neural stem cells were implanted into the brains of other primates what might this do to the mind of the recipient? Could such grafting teach us anything of value for treatment of neurological injury and disease? Could we change the capacities of the engrafted animal in a way that leads us to reexamine its moral status? These questions have gained significance since publication of research involving grafting human neural stem cells into the brains of fetal monkeys (7). In 2004, we formed a multidisciplinary working group; two plenary meetings over 12 months provide the basis for this Policy Forum.