American Researcher Withdraws From World Stem Cell Hub

American Researcher Withdraws From World Stem Cell Hub

In the Blog Post on 10/20/05 “Korean Stem Cell Bank Part 2” I reported on the opening of the Korean World Stem Cell Hub and wrote that, “Also present were scientists from other countries, including Gerald Schatten, a cell biologist at the University of Pittsburgh, who will chair a foundation participating in the bank.” Now Schatten has withdrawn from the stem cell bank, citing ethical concerns about the source of the eggs Hwang Woo Suk used in his groundbreaking human cloning research.

The story has been reported several places. Schatten’s concern was that the eggs may have been obtained from a junior researcher in Hwang’s lab, which would violate ethical principle relating to egg donation from “underlings.” A Washington Post article (reprinted in the Houston Chronicle) says that Schatten had believed Hwang’s denial of the rumors, which had circulated for over a year, until last Friday. Schatten was quoted as saying, “My trust has been shaken. I am sick at heart. I am not going to be able to collaborate with Woo Suk.” The Post seems to have been the press-leader on this story, and may other sources quote it directly or indirectly.

A brief UPI account is available on Science Daily. The Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo reports that Hwang’s team would release an official statement soon, and the Korea Times gives some background on the allegations:

Hwang’s team has officially used 427 eggs for the milestone result and rumors had swirled midway through 2004 that Hwang recruited eggs from a young scientist
in his lab for the research.

In particular, the British-based scientific journal Nature raised the suspicion through its feature article last year and Hwang has flatly denied it.

The procedure by which the eggs were obtained involves a hormone injections which could lead to infertility or potentially death. The International Herald Tribune reported today that the South Korean government will begin an official investigation. An AP story reprinted in several places, including the Seattle Post Intelligencer, reports on issues regarding whether the researcher who donated the eggs had been paid for them. It also includes some quotations from the Schatten’s prepared statement. (Schatten's statement is posted on this blog 11/14/05.)

This is obviously a significant issue in stem cell research, and one that raises numerous feminist and social issues regarding the source of eggs used in the SCNT procedure. Eggs must be donated, without pressure, rather than sold or purchased; paying for eggs runs perilously close to beginning to see women themselves as commodities, useful only as egg-making machines. Because humans have a history of exploiting each other, and because women have so often been valued only for their fertility, we can’t allow egg donation to be coupled with monetary gain.

The companion argument about whether or not the SCNT procedure commodities the embryo is too complex for me to get into here, especially as there are numerous assumptions on all sides that would need to be laid out and identified as assumptions. So right now I just want to acknowledge that it exists.

UPDATE: A Reuters article on 11/14/05 said that Hwang has not yet commented directly on Scchatten's decision but told a media conferene, "We are the only research team (in South Korea) with the Ministry of Health licence on human cell nuclear transfer under this guideline."