2 - 2002

Ethics in modern medicine

Glossary

Bundestag Parliament of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Embryo earliest stage of development of an organism; in humans, from conception through implantation in the uterus after about nine days, to the completion of organ formation in the third month, after which it is called a foetus.

Stem cells cells which can reproduce themselves by division - capable of replacing cells and tissues. Totipotent stem cells, such as the fertilised egg cell, can each develop into an entire organism; pluripotent stem cells, such as embryonic stem cells, can differentiate into different tissues and organs; adult stem cells, in the adult organism, serve to regenerate specific tissues.

In vitro fertilisation following a hormone treatment, ripe egg cells are taken from a woman's body, fertilised with sperm in a Petri dish and then implanted back into the uterus.

Pre-implantation diagnosis (PID) a diagnostic procedure in which embryos produced in vitro are examined at the four to eight cell stage to see if they carry inherited genetic defects.

Survey Commission on "Law and Ethics of Modern Medicine" commission appointed by the German Bundestag in March 2000, comprised of 26 MPs and experts. One of its tasks is to "develop criteria, for limitations on medical research, diagnosis and therapy and their applications, which carry the precept of the unconditional preservation of human dignity".

National Ethics Council created by the German federal government in May 2001 as a national forum for dialogue on ethical issues in the life sciences. It is supposed to make statements on ethical issues which play a role in the discourse of the natural sciences, medicine, theology and philosophy. It has up to 25 members, appointed by the Federal Chancellor.