Mitochondrial Replacement Techniques and Mexico’s Rule of Law: On the Legality of the First Maternal Spindle Transfer Case

News about the first baby born after a mitochondrial replacement technique (MRT; specifically maternal spindle transfer) broke on September 27, 2016 and, in a matter of hours, went global. Of special interest was the fact that the mitochondrial replacement procedure happened in Mexico. One of the scientists behind this world first was quoted as having said that he and his team went to Mexico to carry out the procedure because, in Mexico, there are no rules. In this paper, we explore Mexico's rule of law in relation to mitochondrial replacement techniques and show that, in fact, certain instances of MRTs are prohibited at the federal level and others are prohibited at the state level. According to our interpretation of the law, the scientists behind this first successful MRT procedure broke federal regulations regarding assisted fertilization research

Chimeras intended for human gamete production: an ethical alternative?

Human eggs for basic, fertility and stem-cell research are in short supply. Many experiments that require their use cannot be carried out at present, and, therefore, the benefits that could emerge from these are either delayed or never materialise. This state of affairs is problematic for scientists and patients worldwide, and it is a matter that needs our attention. Recent advances in chimera research have opened the possibility of creating human/non-human animal chimeras intended for human gamete production (chimeras-IHGP). In this paper, I examine four arguments against the creation of such chimeras and prove that all of them are found wanting. I conclude by showing that there is a strong moral reason for scientists to pursue this research avenue

Mexico and mitochondrial replacement techniques: what a mess

Abstract Background The first live birth following the use of a new reproductive technique, maternal spindle transfer (MST), which is a mitochondrial replacement technique (MRT), was accomplished by dividing the execution of the MST procedure between two countries, the USA and Mexico. This was done in order to avoid US legal restrictions on this technique. Sources of data Academic articles, news articles, documents obtained through freedom of information requests, laws, regulations and national reports. Areas of agreement MRTs are new reproductive techniques that present novel ethical and legal challenges, since genetic material from three people is employed to create a child. Areas of controversy Could the first MST procedure that culminated in a live birth negatively impact reproductive medicine in Mexico? Growing points The USA and Mexico need specific and clear legislation on MRTs, in order for such techniques not to be governed by prior existing legislation on assisted reproduction that is inadequate for dealing with the new challenges that these techniques present. Areas timely for developing research There is a pressing need for work to be done on the international governance of new reproductive techniques

Human dignity and the creation of human–nonhuman chimeras

In this work I present a detailed critique of the dignity-related arguments that have been advanced against the creation of human–nonhuman chimeras that could possess human-like mental capacities. My main claim is that the arguments so far advanced are incapable of grounding a principled objection against the creation of such creatures. I conclude that these arguments have one, or more, of the following problems: (a) they confuse the ethical assessment of the creation of chimeras with the ethical assessment of how such creatures would be treated in specific contexts (e.g. in the laboratory), (b) they misrepresent how a being could be treated solely as means towards others’ ends, (c) they fall short of demonstrating how humanity’s dignity would be violated by the creation of such entities, and (d) they fail to properly characterise the moral responsibilities that moral agents have towards other moral agents and sentient beings

Genetic parenthood and causation: An objection to Douglas and Devolder’s modified direct proportionate genetic descent account

In a recent publication Tom Douglas and Katrien Devolder have proposed a new account of genetic parenthood, building on the work of Heidi Mertes. Douglas and Devolder’s account aims to solve, among other things, the question of who are the genetic parents of an individual created through somatic cell nuclear transfer (i.e. cloning): (a) the nuclear DNA provider or (b) the progenitors of the nuclear DNA provider. Such a question cannot be answered by simply appealing to the folk account of genetic parenthood, according to which the genetic parents of an individual are those individuals who produced the egg and sperm, respectively, which fused to create the embryo. It cannot be so as in cloning there is no fertilization as such. In this article I critically examine Douglas and Devolder’s new account of genetic parenthood and demonstrate that it is vulnerable to counterexamples that exploit the lack of a condition specifying that genetic parents should cause a child’s coming into existence

Equine Erythrocyte Lysed Exposed to T-Butyl Hydroperoxide as a Model to Study the Oxidative Stress Caused by Exercise Using a Chemiluminescence Assay

The present investigation was carried out to determine the presence of oxidative alterations in the horses erythrocyte membrane during a high intensity exercise test. The degree of peroxidation was estimated by chemiluminescence using a suspension of lysed erythrocytes incubated with t-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP). Differences were observed in the total values of chemiluminescence throughout the exercise routine, with higher values of light emission obtained with the animal at rest in relation to those observed during and after exercise.The conclusions of this study are the existence of changes in the erythrocyte membranes of the horses exposed to physical exertion, probably associated with the release of ROS caused by the exercise and that the determination of chemiluminescence in suspension of lysates erythrocyte is a sensitive assay applied to detect the existence of oxidative stress associated to physical exercise.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria