Book Review: Good Science - The Ethical Choreography of Stem Cell Research

The emergence of stem cell research has been one of the most
transformative biological advances of the last decade. In 'Good Science', Charis Thompson outlines
the ethical back and forth that was often the public face of this rapidly
advancing science.

Thompson outlines, with delicate balance, the various ethical
viewpoints brought into conflict by the use of stem cells, particularly their
generation from embryos and how this conflict played out in policy and society
in the USA and elsewhere. She explores the difficulties reconciling pro-life
views with the hope of a brighter future that stem cells came to symbolise.

From policy work to individual stories, encompassing early
embryonic stem cells to modern induced pluripotent cells and discussing topics
as diverse as egg donation, animal testing and models of investment and
ownership, Thompson builds the case that good science needs good ethics to
fully realise its potential in society.

Throughout the book, Thompson keeps the measured distance of an
anthropologist, neither condemning stem cell work nor buying the evangelical
hype promoted by the most enthusiastic supporters. She observes that like all
technological and scientific advances, there will be pros and cons.
Particularly in reproductive technologies, techniques advance so quickly that they
can become obsolete before we have time to fully assess them. The rush from
embryonic stem cells to induced pluripotent cells and the brief detours around
somatic nuclear transfer cloning is a case in point.

The take home message I got is that stem cells, like other
previous medical and reproductive technologies, have served as a vehicle for
different groups to advance their own viewpoints. Good science isn't divorced from these
conflicts but part of it: good science is enabled by a strong ethical framework
and vice versa. Covering two presidencies
and the global financial crisis, we see the shift from the ideological restrictions
of the Bush administration to the pragmatism of Obama. Both appeal to an
inherent benefit involved in scientific advancement (exemplified on a
sub-national scale by California) and the risk of the US falling behind other
nations. This is nicely mirrored by reference to the UK's Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority and an in-depth
look at the policy framework of Singapore and South Korea, which come with
their own ethical and cultural controversies.

I think that the frustration I had with 'Good Science' is that
I never felt like I was completely getting into the personal ethics behind it.
Thompson isn't a scientist but instead comes from a feminist humanities
tradition. This, potentially refreshing,
perspective is something that I wanted to see more of. The feminist ethics of
egg donation, for example, are not something I have previously considered, yet
the brief discussion of it made me wish this personal, ethical dimension could
have been explored more fully.

I suppose a book covering over twelve years, several states,
multiple countries, and a range of cutting-edge technologies - while trying to
layout a framework for an ethical policy that maximises the benefits of this
new technology- could never give the in-depth look into all the issues that piqued my
interest. But as a primer on the maelstrom
of ethical issues surrounding these complex reproductive technologies, 'Good
Science' is a great way to learn the initial moves.

Buy Good Science: The Ethical Choreography of Stem Cell Research from Amazon UK.