RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Endangerment of the iPSC stock project in Japan: on the ethics of public funding policies
JF Journal of Medical Ethics
JO J Med Ethics
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Institute of Medical Ethics
SP 700
OP 702
DO 10.1136/medethics-2018-105024
VO 44
IS 10
A1 Akabayashi, Akira
A1 Nakazawa, Eisuke
A1 Jecker, Nancy S
YR 2018
UL http://jme.bmj.com/content/44/10/700.abstract
AB We examined the ethical justification for a national policy governing public funding for the induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) stock project in Japan and argue that the initiation of the iPSC stock project in 2012, when no clinical trial using iPSC-derived products had yet succeeded, was premature and unethical. Our analysis considers a generally accepted justice criterion and shows it fails to justify public funding of the iPSC stock project. We also raise concerns related to the massive amounts of public funding at stake and the absence of evidence supporting claimed success rates. We conclude that the iPSC stock project should be re-considered and deferred until a substantial number of clinical trials using iPSC-derived products are deemed successful. This analysis should benefit others worldwide as they consider their own public funding policies.