Abstract

The debate over the ethics of manufacturing and destroying human embryos has captured the interest of scientific, philosophic, and religious communities once again. In May researchers reported a new in vitro system that allows for the study of postimplantation human embryos. Scientists are now able to culture human embryos for twelve to thirteen days, obtaining new data about their development after implantation. In fact, the new procedure’s simulated implantation environment worked so well that one group of researchers had to destroy the embryos thirteen days after fertilization. This was done to avoid conducting embryo research at fourteen days or beyond, which would violate national and international guidelines. Naturally, the success of the new process has prompted scientists and journalists alike to question the validity of both the fourteen-day rule and the proper boundaries of research on human embryos.