Bioethics in Anatomy Education Resources Commercialization of Human

Bioethics in Anatomy Education Resources: Commercialization of Human Tissues Description: These Power. Point slides discuss the ethical concerns about commercialization of human tissues. Feel free to use or modify the text. The topics covered by this resource include: Ethics Commercialization Commodification Human Tissues Creator(s): Thomas Champney Contact details: tchampney@med. miami. edu Further reading: Champney TH, Hildebrandt S, Jones DG, Winkelmann A. BODIES R US: ethical views on the commercialization of the dead in medical education and research. Anat Sci Educ 12: 317325, 2019.

Commercialization of Human Tissue The ability to derive money from human tissues raises numerous ethical concerns. A fundamental question is whether humans or their tissues can be commodified – bought and sold like other property. Is this dependent on the type of tissue? Listed below is a continuum from collections of cells (blood or hair) to living humans. Which of these human tissues is it ethically responsible to buy and sell? Human Hair Human Blood / Sperm / Ova / He. La Cells Human Bones Dead Human Live Organ Live Human All photos in the public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Commercialization of Human Tissue Some societies and cultures have determined that it is legal to sell human hair, human cells, human bones and, even in some cases, dead humans. However, selling living human organs and living human beings (slavery) is not legal. If something is legal, does that mean it is also ethical? Since this scale has shifted over time, should there be a re-examination of the legality and ethics of selling these tissues? Human Hair Human Blood / Sperm / Ova / He. La Cells Human Bones Dead Human Live Organ Live Human All photos in the public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Commercialization of Human Tissue If it is agreed that some types of human tissues can be bought and sold, should those that engage in this system be able to profit from this engagement? Or should the sale of these tissues be strictly non-profit / revenue neutral? Is the profit motive inherently unethical when dealing with the commercialization and commodification of human tissues? What considerations should be involved when determining whether it is ethical to make a profit from the sale of human tissues? https: //mayrsom. com/2013/08/05/ethics-in-the-global-marketplace/

Commercialization of Human Tissue Expanding beyond the sale of human tissues, is it ethical to sell photographs or other representations of human tissue (videos, 3 D reconstruction, plastinates)? Should people be able to profit from selling these representations? What considerations should be involved when determining whether it is ethical to sell representations of human tissues? Do the same ethical standards apply for representations that apply for the actual tissues? For further support, see the Ethics & Professionalism Units on the “Use of Digital Images in Anatomy”; “Use of Plastinates” and “ 3 D Reconstruction”. https: //www. us. elsevierhealth. com/ https: //minnay. com/product/ https: //www. meiwoplastination. com