January 11, 1999

FINAL REPORT OF THE BIOETHICS ADVISORY COMMITTEE
ON HUMAN STEM CELL RESEARCH
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON

The Bioethics Advisory Committee was appointed by Virginia Hinshaw, Dean of the Graduate School, to review ethical, legal and social issues regarding specified research projects being conducted at UW-Madison and to advise on the development of University policy, when appropriate. The Committee convened on October 6, 1998 and held eight meetings. Discussion during these meetings centered on research conducted by Dr. James Thomson that developed pleuripotent immortal cell lines derived from human embryonic stem cells.

The Committee reviewed a variety of issues in this research including the following:

• The scientific goals and methods of the research, including possible alternative methods of achieving the same information;
• Potential and probable clinical and commercial applications of the research;
• Other related research projects at UW-Madison and laboratories in other institutions;
• The relative importance of academic freedom in the context of ethics, law, and public opinion;
• The procedures by which the embryonic stem cells were obtained, including the process and content of informed consent;
• Relevant law and regulations regarding research involving human embryos;
• Federal law regarding funding of research involving human embryos;
• The review of the research by the UW-Madison Health Sciences Human Subjects Committee;
• Diverse opinion in our society on the ethics of research in this area;
• Reports and recommendations of other committees and commissions who have considered ethical issues in research involving human embryos, including those from the United States, Canada, and Great Britain;
• Selected scholarly papers on ethical issues from leading writers in this field.

The Committee also considered patent issues and other aspects of applications of this research.

Based on this review, the Committee unanimously finds that Dr. Thomson's research is scientifically important; has potential clinical benefits; is consistent with existing law, regulations and guidelines; is consistent with the University's mission and its commitment to academic freedom; and is supported by the mainstream of ethical opinion. In light of all these considerations, the Committee unanimously concludes that this research is ethically appropriate.

Regarding future use of such cells, the Committee concludes that human embryonic stem cell lines developed by this research are not themselves embryos.

Finally, the Committee recommends that cells from these cell lines NOT be used for introduction into a uterus without further University of Wisconsin review and approval.

Any other introduction of cells or derivatives from these cell lines into human beings will require the prior review and approval of an appropriate review board.

Committee Members:
Patricia T. Becker
Robin Alta Charo
Norman Fost (Chair)
Hector DeLuca
R. Timothy Mulcahy
John D. Pirsch
Elliott R. Sober
John W. Suttie
Daniel I. Wikler

Consultants:
Kathleen S. Irwin
Helen H. Madsen

Staff:
Susan M. C. Adams
Stuart Kim