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══════════════════【立報】═══════════════════ |
| 教 育 專 題 深 入 報 導《2004-05-21》 |
| 本期內容 | |
| ◎ 國際專題 幹細胞引發倫理爭議 | |
| 國際專題 幹細胞引發倫理爭議 | |
| 策劃、編譯■賴明芝 | |
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英國首創幹細胞銀行 世界上第一家胚胎幹細胞銀行本週稍早於英國倫敦開幕了，對幹細胞這項備受爭議的醫學研究領域而言，英國胚胎幹細胞銀行的成立，無疑是個新的里程卑。 「國家生物學標準暨管制研究所」（NIBSC）是被指派成立英國幹細胞銀行的單位，這是為了確保幹細胞的管理及供給，由單一國家獨立機構負責。NIBSC主管表示，銀行開張後將開始接受細胞存放。幹細胞有潛力發展成人體上的幾乎任何細胞。這類細胞可能被用於治療某些嚴重疾病，比方說：阿茲海默症、巴金森氏症，以及心臟病。英國去年成為世界上第一個准許製造胚胎的國家。根據核發複製人類胚胎執照的條件，任何由該過程生產的幹細胞，應儲存於幹細胞銀行。該銀行將保管現存及新的成人、胎兒和胚胎幹細胞，並使研究者在一個控制的環境中，探索幹細胞龐大的潛力。而銀行保管的幹細胞，將繼續分裂，可以無限期生存。 幹細胞銀行的成立，使得英國陷入與反墮胎團體的戰爭，甚至與他最親愛的美國盟友也背道而馳，因為，現任美國總統布希在2001年8月的時候簽署了一項行政命令，限制聯邦經費用在幹細胞研究的情形。 英國頭兩個人類胚胎幹細胞，分別由倫敦國王學院的明格爾和皮克林兩位博士，與紐卡斯爾生命研究中心的斯塔拉坎教授和默多克教授共同開發的。在英國健康大臣沃納爵士主持的胚胎細胞銀行開業後，這兩個細胞將存入該銀行。 用於研究的胚胎看上去就像一個空球，人的肉眼幾乎看不到。胚胎中大約有25個細胞，「內細胞群」包含構成胚胎的幹細胞，而幹細胞就是從「內細胞群」中生長出來的。儘管科學家說明了研究用胚胎看似空球的特徵，但是，英國政府成立幹細胞銀行的做法，還是遭到反墮胎人士的抨擊，他們認為，政府帶頭做此行為，只是將人類的生命陷入複製的悲劇。 The world's first embryonic stem cell bank opened in Britain Wednesday, breaking new ground in one of the most controversial areas of medical research. The bank aims to store and supply stem cell lines -- strings of identical cells -- for research and possible treatment of conditions like diabetes, cancer and Parkinson's. Its store of cell lines is expected to number tens of thousands. But opponents say such research involves the "wanton creation and destruction of human life" and have condemned the bank as a storage site for dead babies. Stem cells are master cells in the body that have the capability to transform into new cells or tissue. They can be taken from adults and discarded umbilical cords but those from embryos are considered especially powerful because each one has the potential to become any sort of cell or tissue in the body at all. Researchers believe they offer a potentially revolutionary way to repair diseased and damaged body tissue, although more research is needed to understand exactly how they work. "This potentially revolutionary research could benefit thousands of patients whose lives are blighted by devastating diseases," Health Minister Lord Warner said in a statement. The bank puts Britain into conflict with pro-life campaigners and with the United States, where President George W Bush issued an executive order in August 2001 limiting federal funds for embryonic stem-cell research. Anti-abortion groups argue that the bank is unethical because the extraction of stem cells from human embryos violates the human rights of the embryos. "Our problem is in the marketing and developing of embryonic stem cells, whose existence depend on a massive destruction of early human life," the Pro-Life Party said in a statement. Patrick Cusworth, spokesman for the LIFE anti-abortion group, argued that stem cell research reduces human life to "little more than a pharmaceutical product" and holds out "false hopes of cures for sufferers of debilitating conditions." "Using human embryos as a tissue source is unethical, unnecessary and dangerous," he said. "Science must exist to benefit humanity -- not the other way round." The bank, in Hertfordshire, southern England, will be funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. "Stem cell research offers real promise for the treatment of currently incurable diseases," Professor Colin Blakemore, Chief Executive of the MRC, said in a statement. "The bank will ensure that researchers can explore the enormous potential of this exciting science for the future benefit of patients." The bank's first two stem cell lines were developed separately by researchers at King's College London and the Center for Life in Newcastle, northern England. 美國猶豫是否開放研究 美國國家研究所日前表示，儘管布希總統於2001年8月針對幹細胞研究的聯邦經費補助做出限制，但是，他們還是有相當的空間可以發展幹細胞研究。與此同時，美國前第一夫人南茜‧雷根則出席了一個在洛杉磯舉辦的幹細胞研究募款餐會。 儘管布希政府和反墮胎組織都強烈反對進行幹細胞研究，但南茜‧雷根依舊呼籲美國政府必須讓有爭議的幹細胞研究，脫離政治的範疇來討論。她表示：「透過幹細胞研究，許多疾病有了希望，這也讓許多科學家們長久以來得不到解決的問題，找到答案。我就是不明白，為什麼要摒棄這種方法。」 當前有關利用胚胎取出的幹細胞研究，多半將焦點集中在研製有助於對抗如巴金森氏症和阿茲海默症等退化性疾病的新藥。 而美國前總統雷根正是阿茲海默症患者。南茜在募款餐會上提到雷根的近況，她說：「隆尼（雷根名）的漫長旅途，最後將他帶到一個我不再能觸及的遙遠地方。」正因為家中有一位阿茲海默症患者，南茜表示，她將盡最大的力量，避免其他家庭遭受和她一樣的痛苦。 就在英國政府宣佈幹細胞銀行開張的前兩天，有2百多位美國兩黨國會議員寫信給白宮，呼籲放寬胚胎幹細胞運用在醫學研究方面的限制。信中內容寫道：「胚胎幹細胞具有潛力，可被用來醫治和更清楚了解影響一億多美國人的致命與殘疾疾病，例如癌症、心臟病、柏金森症、脊椎受傷、硬化症、癡呆症和其他許許多多疾病。」希望布希政府放寬限制的議員們指出，美國政府禁止相關研究的做法，已促使生物醫學界的若干科學家前往海外的實驗室尋求發展。 幹細胞乃是初生的細胞，可在人體化學信號的誘導下，發育成各種組織。其中功能最多、即科學術語所謂「具複效性」的幹細胞來自胚胎，這些細胞幾乎能長成人體的任何部分。 The U.S. National Institutes of Health defended federal policy on controversial stem cells on Saturday, saying there was still plenty of work to be done even within restrictions laid down by President Bush. The letter to members of Congress signals that the White House does not plan to back off the policy limiting federal funding of embryonic stem cell research any time soon. "Today, much of the basic research that needs to be done can be and is being supported with federal funds under the president's policy," NIH director Dr. Elias Zerhouni wrote in the letter, a copy of which was sent to Reuters. "And although it is fair to say that from a purely scientific perspective more cell lines may well speed some areas of human embryonic stem cell research, the president's position is still predicated on his belief that taxpayer funds should not 'sanction or encourage further destruction of human embryos that have at least the potential for life."' Last month, 206 members of the House of Representatives asked Bush to modify his August 2001 executive order limiting federal funds for embryonic stem-cell research to a few existing batches, known as cell lines. They said there were not enough of the cell lines available to do the work needed to bring about what scientists believe could be a fundamental transformation of medicine. They said federal funds should be released to do more work using embryos left over from in vitro fertilization attempts for infertile couples, embryos that will otherwise be destroyed. Stem cells are master cells made by the body. They can give rise to a variety of tissues. Embryonic stem cells are considered especially powerful, as each one has the potential to become any sort of cell or tissue in the body at all. Scientists hope to master them to tailor organ or tissue transplants, and to study them to better understand the underlying mechanisms of disease. But opponents, including some but not all groups and politicians that oppose abortion, say there is no justification for experimenting on or destroying human embryos. U.S. Rep. Mike Castle, a Delaware Republican who wrote the original letter to Bush, said he hoped the NIH director's response indicates the stem cell policy could be revised. "I am hopeful that Dr. Zerhouni's letter signals a willingness by the White House to work with us to craft a policy in which the federal government will help dramatically accelerate stem cell research, not restrict it," Castle said in a statement. Support is growing for embryonic stem cell research. Several anti-abortion members of Congress signed the letter and last week former first lady Nancy Reagan, who has long quietly supported the research, spoke out publicly in its favor. |
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