Conclusion
The pursuit and production of
knowledge through scientific research is an undertaking that offers enormous
intellectual rewards for researchers while also performing an important social
function. The advancement of science
has transformed our lives in ways that would have been unpredictable just a
half-century ago. Whether stem cell
research will have a similar effect remains to be determined, but the promise
is so great that it seems wise to consider seriously how best to further such
research in a manner that is sensitive to public sensibilities. Public conversations about research and use
of human stem cells are well underway.
This report is intended to contribute to and inform this ongoing
dialogue.
We recognize that science does
not exist in isolation from the larger community that feels its effects,
whether perceived as good or bad. The
work of scientists is, and should be, conditioned and directed by consideration
of broader human values. This means
that the development of public policy, especially where highly controversial
matters are involved, must take all interested sectors of the public into
account. It is only through broad-based
participation that the values of all stakeholders in the research enterprise
can be carefully considered and weighed.
We hope that this report has offered an approach that balances the
promise of human stem cell research with the public’s genuine concerns about
such research in a manner that will lead to a consensus on how best to proceed.
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| Contributed by: AAAS DoSER and the Institute for
Civil Society
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