{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,6]],"date-time":"2025-11-06T19:51:03Z","timestamp":1762458663479},"reference-count":53,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"2","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["J Med Ethics"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[1993,6]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>In 1989, in the wake of the first operations to transplant fetal tissue into the brains of sufferers from Parkinson's Disease, the UK Code of Practice governing the use of the fetus for research was overhauled by an eminent committee under the chairmanship of the Reverend Dr John Polkinghorne. The Polkinghorne Report has, however, attracted remarkably little comment or analysis. This paper is believed to be the first to subject it to sustained ethical and legal scrutiny. The author concludes that, although the committee's recommendations meet the major objections to the Code of Practice, the report is nevertheless vulnerable to criticism in its treatment of at least three issues: the moral status of the fetus; paternal consent to fetal use, and the ethical inter-relation of fetal use and abortion.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1136\/jme.19.2.114","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2008,11,6]],"date-time":"2008-11-06T00:48:04Z","timestamp":1225932484000},"page":"114-120","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":12,"title":["The Polkinghorne Report on Fetal Research: nice recommendations, shame about the reasoning."],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"19","author":[{"given":"J","family":"Keown","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[1993,6,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"9","article-title":"White House slips up over soap heroine and her baby","volume":"22","author":"Fletcher, M.","year":"1992","unstructured":"Fletcher M. White House slips up over soap heroine and her baby. The Times 1992 May 22: 9 (cols 1-2).","journal-title":"The Times"},{"key":"ref_2","article-title":"Report of the Advisory Group on the Use of Fetuses and Fetal Material for Research","author":"Peel, Sir J","year":"1972","unstructured":"Peel, Sir J. Report of the Advisory Group on the Use of Fetuses and Fetal Material for Research. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1972."},{"key":"ref_3","first-page":"88","article-title":"Social Security press release","volume":"7","author":"Department of Health and","year":"1988","unstructured":"Department of Health and Social Security press release, 1988 Jun 7: 88\/179."},{"key":"ref_4","article-title":"The other members were Sir Raymond Hoffenberg, Professor Ian Kennedy and Dr Sally Macintyre","unstructured":"The other members were Sir Raymond Hoffenberg, Professor Ian Kennedy and Dr Sally Macintyre."},{"key":"ref_5","article-title":"Review of the guidance on the research use offetuses and fetal material","unstructured":"Review of the guidance on the research use offetuses and fetal material. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1989: Cm762."},{"key":"ref_6","article-title":"Parliamentary debates, 1989; 157, House of Commons: written answers, July 25: cols 675676","unstructured":"Parliamentary debates, 1989; 157, House of Commons: written answers, July 25: cols 675676."},{"key":"ref_7","article-title":"The article does not purport to offer a comprehensive critique of the code. Nor does it assess the scientific and therapeutic applications of the fetus. On this matter see McCullagh P. The foetus as tranplant donor","year":"1987","unstructured":"The article does not purport to offer a comprehensive critique of the code. Nor does it assess the scientific and therapeutic applications of the fetus. On this matter see McCullagh P. The foetus as tranplant donor. Chichester: John Wiley, 1987."},{"key":"ref_8","unstructured":"See reference (5): code: preface, and para 1.2 respectively."},{"key":"ref_9","unstructured":"See reference (5): code: preface and also report: para 1.5."},{"key":"ref_10","unstructured":"See reference (5): report: para 1.6."},{"key":"ref_11","article-title":"For critiques of the Warnock report see Lockwood M. The Warnock report: a philosophical appraisal","volume-title":"Moral dilemmas in modem medicine; LIFE. Warnock dissected","author":"Lockwood, M.","year":"1985","unstructured":"For critiques of the Warnock report see Lockwood M. The Warnock report: a philosophical appraisal. In Lockwood M, ed. Moral dilemmas in modem medicine. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1985: 155-186; LIFE. Warnock dissected. Leamington Spa: LIFE, 1984."},{"key":"ref_12","unstructured":"See reference (5): report: para 2.4."},{"key":"ref_13","first-page":"47","article-title":"The developing human","author":"L, Moore K.","unstructured":"Moore K L. The developing human (4th ed). Philadelphia: W B Saunders, 1988: 2; 47.","edition":"4th ed"},{"key":"ref_14","unstructured":"See reference (5): report: para 3.2."},{"issue":"1","key":"ref_15","first-page":"5","article-title":"Williams G. Textbook on criminal law","volume":"1","author":"fetus. Robertson J A. Rights; symbolism","year":"1978","unstructured":"See reference (5): code: para 1.1 (a). (16) Williams G. Textbook on criminal law. (1st ed). London: Stevens and Sons, 1978: 263, footnote 8. (This statement neither appears nor is controverted in the second edition.) Similarly, Williams has written that a child is regarded as born alive, and therefore protected by the law of homicide, when it is fully born and is alive, the 'test of the latter being the functioning of the heart'. See the second edition, 1983 of Textbook on criminal law: 290 (footnote omitted). In the US it is unlawful to remove tissue from a previable fetus. Robertson J A. Rights, symbolism, and public policy in fetal tissue transplants. Hastings Center report 1988; 18: 5.","edition":"1st ed","journal-title":"Hastings Center report; 8. (This statement neither appears nor is controverted in the second edition.) Similarly, Williams has written that a child is regarded as born alive, and therefore protected by the law of homicide, when it is fully born and is alive, the 'test of the latter being the functioning of the heart"},{"key":"ref_16","series-title":"The metabolism of [4-14C] cholesterol in the pre-viable human foetus","first-page":"481","article-title":"For an example of experimentation on living fetuses of 20-22 weeks gestation see Coutts","volume":"44","author":"R, J.; C, Macnaughten M.","year":"1969","unstructured":"For an example of experimentation on living fetuses of 20-22 weeks gestation see Coutts J R T and Macnaughten M C. The metabolism of [4-14C] cholesterol in the pre-viable human foetus. J7ournal of endocrinology 1969; 44: 481-488."},{"key":"ref_17","article-title":"Interim guidelines on the use offoetal tissue in transplantation therapy","author":"British Medical Association","year":"1.","unstructured":"British Medical Association. Interim guidelines on the use offoetal tissue in transplantation therapy. London: British Medical Association, 1988: para 1."},{"key":"ref_18","unstructured":"See reference (5): report: para 2.4."},{"key":"ref_19","unstructured":"See reference (5): report: para 3.1."},{"key":"ref_20","unstructured":"See reference (5): code: para 1 (1)(a). (21) See reference (5): report: para 3.2."},{"key":"ref_21","first-page":"119","article-title":"Causing death and saving lives. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1977: 122; Singer P. Practical ethics","author":"J, See Glover","year":"1979","unstructured":"See Glover J. Causing death and saving lives. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1977: 122; Singer P. Practical ethics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1979: 119-122."},{"key":"ref_22","article-title":"The patient as person. New Haven and","author":"for example, See; P, Ramsey","year":"1.","unstructured":"See for example, Ramsey P. The patient as person. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1970: chapter 1."},{"key":"ref_23","first-page":"381","article-title":"Consent to medical procedures on minors","volume":"36","author":"G, See Skegg P.D.","year":"1973","unstructured":"See Skegg P D G. Consent to medical procedures on minors. Modem law review 1973; 36: 381.","journal-title":"Modem law review"},{"key":"ref_24","unstructured":"See reference (5): code: para 4.1."},{"key":"ref_25","unstructured":"See reference (5): code: para 4.2."},{"key":"ref_26","unstructured":"See reference (5): code: para 4.5."},{"key":"ref_27","unstructured":"See reference (5): code: para 4.3."},{"key":"ref_28","unstructured":"See reference (5): report: para 2.8."},{"key":"ref_29","article-title":"The ethics offetal research","author":"Ramsey, P.","unstructured":"Ramsey P. The ethics offetal research. New Haven and"},{"key":"ref_30","first-page":"95","year":"1975","unstructured":"London: Yale University Press, 1975: 95."},{"key":"ref_31","first-page":"58","article-title":"Report of the human fetal tissue transplantation research panel","author":"National Institutes of Health","year":"1988","unstructured":"National Institutes of Health. Report of the human fetal tissue transplantation research panel. Bethesda, Maryland: National Institutes of Health, 1988: 58-59."},{"key":"ref_32","first-page":"123","article-title":"Human Tissue Act 1961 s 1 (2) (b). (33) On the question of possible civil and criminal liability for failure to comply with the Human Tissue Act 1961 see Skegg P D G. Liability for the unauthorised removal of cadaveric transplant material. Medicine, science and the law 1974; 14: 53-57; and Liability for the unauthorised removal of cadaveric transplant material: some further comments","volume":"17","year":"1977","unstructured":"Human Tissue Act 1961 s 1 (2) (b). (33) On the question of possible civil and criminal liability for failure to comply with the Human Tissue Act 1961 see Skegg P D G. Liability for the unauthorised removal of cadaveric transplant material. Medicine, science and the law 1974; 14: 53-57; and Liability for the unauthorised removal of cadaveric transplant material: some further comments. Medicine, science and the law 1977; 17: 123-126.","journal-title":"Medicine, science and the law"},{"key":"ref_33","article-title":"Dissection in the absence of appropriate enquiry may also be unlawful: see Anatomy Act 1984 sI 1","unstructured":"Dissection in the absence of appropriate enquiry may also be unlawful: see Anatomy Act 1984 sI 1."},{"key":"ref_34","article-title":"See generally Paton v Trustees of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service [1978] 2 All ER 987 (QBD)","unstructured":"See generally Paton v Trustees of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service [1978] 2 All ER 987 (QBD); C v S [1987] 1 All ER 1230 (QBD) 1241 (CA)."},{"key":"ref_35","unstructured":"See reference (5): report: para 6.7."},{"key":"ref_36","first-page":"10","article-title":"The ethical options in transplanting fetal tissue","volume":"17","author":"B, Mahowald M.; J, Silver; A, Ratcheson R.","year":"1987","unstructured":"Mahowald M B, Silver J, Ratcheson R A. The ethical options in transplanting fetal tissue. Hastings Center report 1987; 17: 10-11.","journal-title":"Hastings Center report"},{"key":"ref_37","unstructured":"See reference (5): code: para 3.1."},{"key":"ref_38","unstructured":"See reference (5): code: para 3.2."},{"key":"ref_39","unstructured":"See reference (5): code: para 3.3."},{"key":"ref_40","unstructured":"See reference (5): code: para 3.4."},{"key":"ref_41","unstructured":"See reference (5): report: para 2.6."},{"key":"ref_42","unstructured":"See reference (5): report: paras 2.7-2.8."},{"key":"ref_43","article-title":"David Steel: his life and politics","volume-title":"85. On the prevalence of social indications for abortion see generally Keown J, Abortion, doctors and the law","author":"MP, David Steel; quoted in Bartram P","year":"1982","unstructured":"David Steel MP, quoted in Bartram P. David Steel: his life and politics. London: WH Allen, 1982: 85. On the prevalence of social indications for abortion see generally Keown J, Abortion, doctors and the law. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988: chapter 5."},{"key":"ref_44","article-title":"Quoted by James Bopp Jr and James Tunstead Burtchaell in National Institutes of Health. Report of the human fetal tissue transplantation research panel","volume-title":"statement of dissent, 68","year":"1988","unstructured":"Quoted by James Bopp Jr and James Tunstead Burtchaell in National Institutes of Health. Report of the human fetal tissue transplantation research panel. Bethesda, Maryland: National Institutes of Health, 1988; statement of dissent, 68."},{"key":"ref_45","unstructured":"See reference (5): report: para 2.9."},{"key":"ref_46","unstructured":"See reference (5): report: para 2.11."},{"key":"ref_47","unstructured":"See reference (5): report: para 4.1."},{"key":"ref_48","unstructured":"See reference (5): report: para 4.2."},{"key":"ref_49","unstructured":"See reference (5): report: para 2.6."},{"key":"ref_50","unstructured":"See reference (5): report: para 2.7."},{"key":"ref_51","unstructured":"See reference (5): report: para 2.8."},{"issue":"1","key":"ref_52","first-page":"6","article-title":"Abortion Act","volume":"1","author":"A:","year":"1967","unstructured":"Abortion Act 1967 section 1(1) (a). (53) See reference (16): Robertson J A: 6-7."},{"issue":"1","key":"ref_53","article-title":"It is, moreover, questionable whether it is satisfactory to entrust the regulation of fetal research to a code of practice, particularly when research on the in vitro embryo is governed by legislation. See Wamock M. A question of life","volume":"1","author":"Blackwell, 1985: 64.","unstructured":"See reference (5): code 1.1 (a). (57) It is, moreover, questionable whether it is satisfactory to entrust the regulation of fetal research to a code of practice, particularly when research on the in vitro embryo is governed by legislation. See Wamock M. A question of life. Oxford: Blackwell, 1985: 64."}],"container-title":["Journal of Medical Ethics"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/syndication.highwire.org\/content\/doi\/10.1136\/jme.19.2.114","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2024,5,23]],"date-time":"2024-05-23T06:07:56Z","timestamp":1716444476000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/jme.bmj.com\/lookup\/doi\/10.1136\/jme.19.2.114"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[1993,6]]},"references-count":53,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-online":{"date-parts":[[1993,6,1]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[1993,6]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1136\/jme.19.2.114"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/jme.19.2.114","relation":{},"ISSN":["0306-6800","1473-4257"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0306-6800","type":"print"},{"value":"1473-4257","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[1993,6]]}}}