Discussion of Factors That Drive Regenerative Science and Assisted Reproductive Technology

One of hottest ethical arguments in regenerative science is whether creating human eggs and sperm from iPS cells or ES cells should be permitted.  Then whether to permit these eggs and sperm to be fertilized and to develop into babies.  In 2012, Japanese scientists created primordial germ cells, which can develop into germ cells, both sperm and eggs from skin cells of mice. Another team in Japan has also created mouse sperm and egg cells from iPS cells and used them to grow young mice within the past year.

A guideline of Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in Japan requires prior notification of all efforts to generate sperm and egg cells from human iPS cells, but fertilization is prohibited.  Two teams have already started the research.

We would like to consider the issue by logical steps through analyzing narratives of scientists and patients in assisted reproductive technologies.  First, we would like to focus on how scientists explain the necessity for the research.  What is purpose of the research?  What do scientists recognize as advantages and disadvantages?  Second, we would like to consider how patients in assisted reproductive technologies react to the news?What do they think about the technology and ethics?  Third, we would like to show what a council which regulates the technique discusses. Through interviewing scientists in regenerative medicine and patients in fertility treatment, and analyzing conference minutes of the council, we will point out the driving force and the justifiable reasons of regenerative science and assisted reproductive technologies.