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Ethically speaking, what are the problems with testing things on human bodies with no brain if that were possible? The idea is disturbing, but is it any worse
by ericb 15y ago
Ethically speaking, what are the problems with testing things on human bodies with no brain if that were possible?
The idea is disturbing, but is it any worse than dissection/autopsy--in other words, is the disgust a visceral reaction but nothing more? It would probably put the speed of medical advances on steroids and save a lot of lives.
- wazoox 15y agoGenetically engineered mice carrying large parts of the human immune system have been in use for years, and can be a good approximation of "human body sans brain", and much cheaper with that - an anencephalic human costs actually a lot to maintain alive.
- DasIch 15y agoThere are not that much brain dead bodies available, those that are available are used for organ donations. Do you really want to reduce the number of available organs for medical testing at such an early stage? I imagine that most of these tests fail whereas a functioning organ has a very high chance of saving a life.
- truthout 15y agoYes I do actually. One organ donator is not as important as the whole of humanity. Any other opinion is ridiculous and dangerous. An ideology that spares the weak for the whole is dangerous and a violation of natural selection.
- jessriedel 15y agoCould probably take out the organs and keep the body on a heart/lung machine for days. Would only work for testing treatments on that time scale, but it would be something.