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Table 6 Mentions, rejections and endorsements of reasons concerning chimera treatment (Category B)

From: Ethical arguments concerning human-animal chimera research: a systematic review

Reasons Concerning Chimera Treatment (Category B)
B.1: The chimera might be violated in its animal-analogous moral status
B.1.i: Chimera’s mere existence might be inconsistent with animal welfare and/or animal non-instrumentalizationMention [9, 26]
Reject [34, 85]
Endorse [19, 70]
B.1.ii: Chimera’s further treatment might be inconsistent with animal welfare and/or animal non-instrumentalizationMention [8, 54, 66]
Reject [2, 4, 67, 82, 85]
Endorse [none]
B.2: The chimera might be violated in its human-analogous moral status
B.2.i: Chimera’s mere production might violate human-analogous respectMention [36, 49]
Reject [34, 67, 68]
Endorse [14, 20, 21, 53, 63]
B.2.ii: Chimera’s mere existence might be incompatible with human-analogous welfareMention [66]
Reject [34, 68]
Endorse [53]
B.2.iii: Chimera’s developmental options might not allow for its relevant potentialaMention [50, 56]
Reject [36, 68]
Endorse [26]
B.2.iv: Chimera’s early treatment might violate human-analogous embryo protectionMention [22, 41, 54]
Reject [89]
Endorse [39, 42, 84]
B.2.v: Chimera’s later treatment might be incompatible with human-analogous rightsbMention [9, 26, 36, 41, 68]
Reject [4, 8, 59, 66]
Endorse [5, 10, 11, 19, 27, 37, 42, 56, 81, 88, 89, 92]
B.2.vi: Chimera might lack adequate human-like surroundingMention [46]
Reject [none]
Endorse [36, 37]
B.2.vii: Chimera might be attributed a questionable role in societycMention [84]
Reject [none]
Endorse [10, 14, 81, 82]
B.2.viii Chimera might have unclear moral statusMention [21, 26, 60, 68, 71, 76, 77]
Reject [17, 29, 38, 52, 69]
Endorse [14, 27, 28, 32, 40, 47, 63]
B.2.ix Chimera might have human-like capacities/characteristicsdMention [6, 17, 26, 27, 36, 61, 72, 79]
Reject [9, 10, 50, 51]
Endorse [11, 19, 34, 35, 89]
  1. a E.g. when a potential for rational behavior is confined to a bodily structure that will not support its development
  2. b E.g. when the chimera is experimented on without adequate consent or killed for research purposes
  3. c E.g. when the chimera is abused as an inferior member of a slave race
  4. d Insinuating that this possibility in itself constitutes an ethical problem
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BMC Medical Ethics

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