Skip to main content
Article
The Stem Cell Debate Continues: The Buying and Selling of Eggs for Research
Journal of Medical Ethics
  • Françoise Baylis, Dalhousie University
  • Carolyn McLeod, The University of Western Ontario
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
12-1-2007
URL with Digital Object Identifier
http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jme.2007.022129
Abstract

Now that stem cell scientists are clamouring for human eggs for cloning-based stem cell research, there is vigorous debate about the ethics of paying women for their eggs. Generally speaking, some claim that women should be paid a fair wage for their reproductive labour or tissues, while others argue against the further commodification of reproductive labour or tissues and worry about voluntariness among potential egg providers. Siding mainly with those who believe that women should be financially compensated for providing eggs for research, the new stem cell guidelines of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) legitimise both reimbursement of direct expenses and financial compensation for many women who supply eggs for research. In this paper, the authors do not attempt to resolve the thorny issue of whether payment for eggs used in human embryonic stem cell research is ethically legitimate. Rather, they want to show specifically that the ISSCR recommended payment practices are deeply flawed and, more generally, that all payment schemes that aim to avoid undue inducement of women risk the global exploitation of economically disadvantaged women.

Citation Information
Françoise Baylis and Carolyn McLeod. "The Stem Cell Debate Continues: The Buying and Selling of Eggs for Research" Journal of Medical Ethics Vol. 33 Iss. 12 (2007) p. 726 - 731
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/carolyn-mcleod/48/