Table 2 Final coding framework

Potential baby

A potential child

Individuals' views on cryopreserved embryos

Cells are beginning of life

Cell lump

Not a child

Not a baby

Missing a heart

Not all embryos become children

Not like any cell

Special

Higher value

Moral uncertainty

Moral obligations

A moral limit

Does not feel natural

Help others

Donation can benefit sick people

General view on donation of cryopreserved embryos

Help sick

Better care

Good purposes

Ability to support patients

Gives hope

Donors' feelings

It feels good to help others

Regret

Unethical experiments

Ethics in donation

Ethically okay

Unethical to enhance humans

Support good causes

Values in donation

Want to do good

Help as many as possible

Maximise utility in donation

Help those with highest needs

Benefit the most people

Prioritise severe diseases

Prioritisation in donation

Not for self-inflicted conditions

Prioritise public diseases

Not in the beauty industry

Only for diseases with no cure

Relieve health care system

Benefit for society

Support health care professionals

Contribute to research

Contribute to society

Reducing costs for health care

Better to use then throw away

Positive to donate to PD

Attitudes regarding donating cryopreserved embryos for cell-based treatment in PD

Cryopreserved embryos can result in something positive

Someone close with PD

If no more children

Contribute to Parkinson treatment

Finding new treatment alternatives

Parkinson patients suffer

Wrong to use embryos for PD

Negative to donate to PD

Wrong to do research on embryos

Taking a life

Wrong to use embryos in medications

No alternative is okay

Mixed feelings

Unsure to donate to PD

May be needing the embryos

Ambivalent

Different opinions

Need more information

Have not seen PD upfront

Not ready to make a decision

Need more knowledge

Feels weird

Trade-offs

Balancing benefits and risks

Increased quality of life

Important with low risks and high benefit

Safe treatment

Losing control

Not losing control

Conditions for donating

Pharmaceutical companies

Taking care of embryos

In safe hands

Can create mistrust

Being asked to donate

Instead of throwing them away

Asking when no longer needed

Asking anytime

Asking when storage time is over

It should be up to the couple to donate

Autonomy

The use of the embryo should be up to the couple

The couples need to feel that they make the right decision

Only want to donate to institutes with good values

Couples need to know where the embryo will go

Informed consent

It should be up to the researchers to decide once given informed consent

Research on embryos requires informed consent

Informed on what disease the embryo will go to

Not necessary with informed consent in medical treatment

Informing the donor even if the embryo is not used

Important with reflection

Reflection

Weighing different options

Proper reimbursement to donors

Reimbursement

Not only for rich people

Equality

Transparency to public

Transparency

Not for healthy individuals

Future development

Fears

Lack of autonomy

Use of donated embryos in other disease areas

Moral obligations

Need to limit misconduct of donated embryos

Misconduct of donated embryos

Being utilized by pharmaceutical companies

Ignoring the purpose stated in donors' information

Not supporting donation for some purposes

Not for human enhancement

Researchers can get good attention from society

Researchers own interests

Researchers may have their own interests

Big profit

Pharmaceutical companies' interests

Wrong with to big profit margins

It does not matter where the profit goes

Accepting profit when necessary

Profit may be the main interest

Okay with some profit

Profit should go to development of new medicines

Not okay that pharmaceutical companies make profit on embryos