Professor Hwang should continue his research.
Prof. Hwang Woo Suk of Seoul National University finally acknowledged that two female research team members supplied egg cells for his work, which had attracted attention from the world. He will take responsibility for the problem and resign from all his official positions and serve in research as a commoner. It was not until the scandal of supplying egg cells broke, suspected several months ago, that the truth came to be known to the world. It is tantalizing that while Hwang contributed to establishing the World Stem Cell Hub and devoted himself to his research, his research project may be stopped by ethical problems.
Stem cell research is more sensitive than any other scientific research, since to create a life is to challenge the providence of God. Religious circles are against his research because of such reasons.
The ethical problem must not preclude his research. It was predicted that there would be some problems in acquiring egg cells from his research team. As the research project was the first in the world, some ethical problems were on the point of breaking out.
Ethical problems also troubled Ian Wilmut, who created the world's first cloned sheep, Dolly. In fact, there are no guidelines for bio-ethics about creating life in advanced countries such as America and England.
Strictly speaking, the Helsinki Statement cannot be applied to Prof. Hwang. According to the statement, "despite a special relationship, they should well consider providing egg cells, whether the supply is rightful or not by the inherent rules of the organization" It is not generally believed that Hwang's project team violated laws or ethical regulations.
It cannot be overemphasized that ethical problems should be treated carefully. It is expected that Hwang should make this scandal a case of good coming out of evil. His team should not be dispirited by medical ethics. They must consider many hopeless disabled patients to wait for surprising results from his research projects.
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 / 입력시간: 2005. 11.26. 09:15
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