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ISHII Tetsuya
| Office of Health and Safety | Professor |
生命倫理について研究してます。バイオテクノロジーの倫理的、法的、社会的観点からの分析を通じて、社会への接続に貢献したいと考えてます。具体的には、遺伝子組換え作物、幹細胞研究、生殖補助医療、遺伝子治療などに関心を寄せてます。
現在、北海道大学に勤務しております。国際生命倫理学会、日本生命倫理学会、欧州ヒト生殖医学会（ESHRE）、国際幹細胞学会（ISSCR）の会員です。また、日本医師会誌 Japan Medical Association Journal のAssociate Editorを拝命しております。官庁の講師、市民向け講演をお受けしてきました。またTV、新聞、ラジオなどにも出演しております。
Researcher basic information
■ Degree■ URL
researchmap URLホームページURL■ Various IDs
Researcher number
- 40722145
Research KeywordResearch Field
Research activity information
■ Papers- Precautions for polygenic embryo selection: prohibition or cautious use
Tetsuya Ishii
Frontiers in Reproductive Health, 8, Feb. 2026, [Peer-reviewed], [Lead author, Last author, Corresponding author]
English, Scientific journal - Global Changes in the Regulation of Reproductive Medicine
Tetsuya Ishii
Encyclopedia of Reproduction, 560, 567, Elsevier, 2026, [Peer-reviewed], [Invited], [Lead author]
English, In book - Consumer choices regarding genome-edited food crops: lessons from Japan
Tetsuya Ishii
Frontiers in Genome Editing, 7, Frontiers Media SA, 23 Sep. 2025, [Peer-reviewed], [Lead author, Last author, Corresponding author], [International Magazine]
English, Scientific journal, Japan has rapidly deregulated certain types of agricultural genome editing, yet the societal integration of these products warrants further investigation. This paper analyzed the sale and people’s perception of genome-edited food crops in Japan after reviewing the regulatory framework. Of four genome-edited crops approved as non-genetically modified organism, only one is sold online to consumers who credit safety information and perceive usefulness. Some consumers express deep safety concern, advocating mandatory labeling. The majority of people are not sufficiently aware of genome editing. To enhance informed consumer choices of genome-edited food crops, it is crucial to share visions in society, hold risk communication for mutual understanding, and maintain clear labels, including organic food standards. - Shifting to a model of donor conception that entails a communication agreement among the parents, donor, and offspring
Tetsuya Ishii; Iñigo de Miguel Beriain
BMC Medical Ethics, 23, 1, Springer Science and Business Media LLC, Mar. 2022, [Peer-reviewed], [Lead author, Corresponding author]
English, Scientific journal,Abstract
Background
Some persons conceived with donor gametes react negatively when they found their birth via donor conception. They request access to information about and seek to communicate with the donor. However, some countries mandate donor anonymity. Other countries allow donor-conceived persons to access donor information, but they can only use this access if their parents have disclosed donor conception to them. We investigated a thorny issue of donor conception: whether donor conception should be shifted from an anonymous basis to a non-anonymous basis.
Methods
We review the issues and concerns regarding donor conception. We then consider the impact of direct-to-consumer genetic testing on donor conception, as well as the influence of donor conception on offspring’s identity and the potential of different types of donors. To discuss the future policy of donor conception, the policies on the anonymity of gamete donors were investigated using publicly-available documents in 15 countries.
Results
The aim of mandating donor anonymity is to protect the privacy of the donor and intended parents. However, the diffusion of direct-to-consumer genetic testing may make it impossible to maintain anonymity. Birth via donor conception shapes the offspring’s identity, and the donor may further influence the development of offspring’s identity through communications. It remains important to disclose donor conception to donor-conceived offspring and to provide them with donor information. However, that information might be insufficient for some donor-conceived persons. Here are benefits to having open-identity donors and known donors. Such donors can make an agreement with the parents regarding future communication with the offspring, although both sides should respect privacy. Subsequent counseling for all parties involved can result in better tripartite communication agreements.
Conclusions
In sum, ethical and practical issues that complicate donor anonymity are driving a shift to non-anonymous donor conception, in which all parties come to a communication agreement. To pave the way for such a donor conception system, transitional measures can be put into place. For countries that already adopted non-anonymous donor conception, ensuring the communication agreements is important to protect the rights of parents, donor, and offspring.
- Proving that a genome-edited organism is not GMO
Megumi Ishii; Tetsuya Ishii
Trends in Biotechnology, Elsevier BV, Dec. 2021, [Peer-reviewed], [Last author, Corresponding author]
English, Scientific journal - Assignment of responsibility for creating persons using germline genome-editing
Tetsuya Ishii
Gene and Genome Editing, 1, 100006, 100006, Elsevier BV, Jun. 2021, [Peer-reviewed], [Invited], [Lead author, Last author, Corresponding author]
English, Scientific journal, The 2018 announcement regarding safe childbirths via germline genome-editing (GGE) with parental consent shocked the world. This minireview examines the predictable risks, burdens, and potential harms of human GGE and explores the question of responsibility for using GGE in human reproduction. Although there is currently no international consensus on proving the absence of harmful off-target mutations in the genome, preclinical GGE study can demonstrate the non-existence under specific conditions. Initially, the clinical application will be limited to small studies without controls. In any case, individuals born via GGE should be followed up for long period. However, such persons can decline follow-up. Due to limited screening, an overlooked off-target mutation may harm the entire body. Some persons suffering such harm might claim damages on the ground that their life is less valuable. However, most jurisdictions will reject such claims. Practitioners are responsible for proving there are no harmful off-target mutations in each GGE case, although the appropriateness of proof is currently difficult to accept. Parents who consented to GGE, as well as practitioners, assume responsibility for the safety of genome-edited offspring; however, the fulfillment of responsibility ultimately depends on the offspring's autonomy. Meanwhile, practitioners and parents may be exempt from some damage claims by offspring harmed by unsafe GGE. The uncertainty of assigning responsibility may underpin GGE's prohibition in light of the unacceptable risks, burdens and potential harms for persons born via GGE; or it may oppositely underpin its permission if an acceptable risk-benefit balance is reached for parents and society. - Enforcing Legislation on Reproductive Medicine with Uncertainty via a Broad Social Consensus
Tetsuya Ishii
Kobe University Monograph Series in Social Science Research, 69, 86, Springer Singapore, 2021, [Peer-reviewed], [Invited], [Lead author, Corresponding author]
In book - Reactions to the National Academies/Royal Society Report on Heritable Human Genome Editing.
Misha Angrist; Rodolphe Barrangou; Françoise Baylis; Carolyn Brokowski; Gaetan Burgio; Arthur Caplan; Carolyn Riley Chapman; George M Church; Robert Cook-Deegan; Bryan Cwik; Jennifer A Doudna; John H Evans; Henry T Greely; Laura Hercher; J Benjamin Hurlbut; Richard O Hynes; Tetsuya Ishii; Samira Kiani; LaTasha Hoskins Lee; Guillaume Levrier; David R Liu; Jeantine E Lunshof; Kerry Lynn Macintosh; Debra J H Mathews; Eric M Meslin; Peter H R Mills; Lluis Montoliu; Kiran Musunuru; Dianne Nicol; Helen O'Neill; Renzong Qiu; Robert Ranisch; Jacob S Sherkow; Sheetal Soni; Sharon Terry; Eric Topol; Robert Williamson; Feng Zhang; Kevin Davies
The CRISPR journal, 3, 5, 332, 349, Oct. 2020, [International Magazine]
English, Scientific journal, In September 2020, a detailed report on Heritable Human Genome Editing was published. The report offers a translational pathway for the limited approval of germline editing under limited circumstances and assuming various criteria have been met. In this perspective, some three dozen experts from the fields of genome editing, medicine, bioethics, law, and related fields offer their candid reactions to the National Academies/Royal Society report, highlighting areas of support, omissions, disagreements, and priorities moving forward. - Genome-Edited Child’ Rights and the Parents’ View on Family
Tetsuya ISHII
TRENDS IN THE SCIENCES, 25, 10, 10_46, 10_53, Japan Science Support Foundation, 01 Oct. 2020, [Invited], [Lead author, Corresponding author]
Scientific journal - Safety of Germline Genome Editing for Genetically Related “Future” Children as Perceived by Parents
Tetsuya ISHII; Iñigo de Miguel Beriain
CRISPR jounral, 2, 6, 370, 375, Dec. 2019, [Peer-reviewed], [Lead author, Corresponding author]
English, Scientific journal, The social acceptability of germline genome editing (GGE) depends on its perceived safety, as well as respect for reproductive autonomy. However, it is doubtful that prospective parents sufficiently understand the risks of GGE. In the future, the use of GGE in specific situations seems plausible, as it offers couples potential means to safeguard genetically related future children from a serious disease and overcome infertility due to a gene mutation. Should GGE fail, however, some couples may be obliged to abort affected fetuses, or give birth to adversely affected children, which would be a tragedy. Some children might develop diseases later in life due to overlooked off-target mutations. Compounding this, some parents are unlikely to inform their offspring about the details of conception, hampering necessary follow-up. Prospective parents, scientists and policy makers should carefully discuss the safety implications of GGE for genetically related future children. - Comment on "Should gene editing replace embryo selection following PGD? Some comments on the debate held by the International Society for Prenatal Diagnosis"
Iñigo de Miguel Beriain; Tetsuya Ishii
Prenatal Diagnosis, 39, 1170, 1172, Nov. 2019, [Peer-reviewed]
English, Scientific journal - Should Long-Term Follow-up Post-Mitochondrial Replacement be Left up to Physicians, Parents, or Offspring?
Tetsuya ISHII
The New Bioethics, 25, 14, 318, 331, Aug. 2019, [Peer-reviewed], [Lead author, Corresponding author]
English, Scientific journal, UK law permits parents to use mitochondrial replacement (MR) to have genetically-related children without serious mitochondrial disease. However, long-term follow-up is required for each case. Whether this follow-up should be left to physicians, parents, or offspring has not been established. Due to the experimental status of MR, physicians must inform parents of the risks and the importance of follow-up tailored to a specific mitochondrial disease. Given that the use of MR is a responsible exercise of reproductive freedom, parents should ensure that the follow-up is performed properly and in the best interests of their offspring. On becoming legally competent, the resulting children should be entitled to refuse follow-up provided that the prevention of mitochondrial disease with no adverse effects has been evident till then. This offspring-centred long-term follow-up approach might also be applied to the use of MR for infertility treatment, even though the primary endpoint is healthy live births. - Raising Gene Therapy for Unmet Medical Needs in Japan
Tetsuya Ishii
JMA Journal, 2, 1, 73, 79, Japan Medical Association, 2019, [Peer-reviewed], [Lead author, Corresponding author]
English, Scientific journal - Crop Gene-editing: Should we Bypass or Apply Existing GMO Policy?
Tetsuya ISHII
Trends in Plant Science, 23, 947, 950, Nov. 2018, [Peer-reviewed]
English, Scientific journal, Recent advances in crop gene-editing technologies allow for efficient site-specific mutagenesis without introducing exogenous DNA, potentially bypassing product-based genetically modified organism (GMO) regulations. Conversely, such plants can be subject to process-based GMO regulations. However, it is important to tailor existing GMO regulations with the aim to ensure social acceptance of gene-edited crops. - Reproductive Medicine Involving Mitochondrial DNA Modification: Evolution, Legality, and Ethics
Tetsuya ISHII
EMJ Repro Health, 4, 1, 88, 99, Aug. 2018, [Peer-reviewed], [Invited]
English, Scientific journal, Human oocytes have an abundance of mitochondria that have their own genome. Mitochondrial
functions are exerted through evolutionarily-developed interactions between the nucleus and
mitochondria. Since 1996, fertility clinics have practiced various types of germline mitochondrial
DNA (mtDNA) modification that alter the composition of mtDNA copies in oocytes or zygotes using
micromanipulation. Experimental reproductive medicine has primarily intended to treat intractable
infertility and has been used to prevent the maternal transmission of a pathogenic mtDNA mutation
to offspring. In some cases, it has helped parents have a healthy genetically-related child; in others,
it has resulted in miscarriages, aneuploid fetuses, or developmental disorders in the offspring.
Adverse events have raised ethical controversy, leading to restrictive or prohibitive policies in
the USA and China. Conversely, the UK recently became the first nation to explicitly permit two
types of germline mtDNA modification (termed mitochondrial donation) for the sole purpose
of preventing serious mitochondrial disease in offspring. The aim of this review is three-fold:
first, to reshape the medical concept and evolution of germline mtDNA modification, while
revisiting 14 clinical cases. Second, to analyse the legality of mtDNA modification, focussing on
16 Western countries. Finally, to consider the ethical aspects, including permissible cases,
reproductive options, use of preimplantation and prenatal testing, and the humane follow-up
of resultant children. The clinical use of germline mtDNA modification will likely become legal,
at least for use in preventative medicine, in some countries. However, the potential clinical, ethical,
and evolutionary implications mean that caution is required when considering its wider application. - Mitochondrial manipulation in fertility clinics: Regulation and responsibility
Tetsuya Ishii; Yuri Hibino
Reproductive Biomedicine and Society Online, 5, 93, 109, Elsevier Ltd, 01 Apr. 2018, [Peer-reviewed]
English, Scientific journal - Mitochondrial Replacement Techniques: Genetic Relatedness, Gender Implications, and Justice
Tetsuya Ishii; César Palacios-González
Gender and the Genome., 1, 4, 129, 134, Dec. 2017, [Peer-reviewed]
English, Scientific journal, In 2015 the United Kingdom (UK) became the first nation to legalize egg and zygotic nuclear transfer procedures using mitochondrial replacement techniques (MRTs) to prevent the maternal transmission of serious mitochondrial DNA diseases to offspring. These techniques are a form of human germline genetic modification and can happen intentionally if female embryos are selected during the MRT clinical process, either through sperm selection or preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). In the same year, an MRT was performed by a United States (U.S.)-based physician team. This experiment involved a cross-border effort: the MRT procedure per se was carried out in the US, and the embryo transfer in Mexico. The authors examine the ethics of MRTs from the standpoint of genetic relatedness and gender implications, in places that lack adequate laws and regulation regarding assisted reproduction. Then, we briefly examine whether MRTs can be justified as a reproductive option in the US and Mexico, after reassessing their legalization in the UK. We contend that morally inadequate and ineffective regulations regarding egg donation, PGD, and germline genetic modifications jeopardize the ethical acceptability of the implementation of MRTs, suggesting that MRTs are currently difficult to justify in the US and Mexico. In addition to relevant regulation, the initiation and appropriate use of MRTs in a country require a child-centered follow-up policy and more evidence for its safety. - The ethics of creating genetically modified children using genome editing
Tetsuya Ishii
CURRENT OPINION IN ENDOCRINOLOGY DIABETES AND OBESITY, 24, 6, 418, 423, Dec. 2017, [Peer-reviewed], [Invited]
English, Scientific journal - Promoting In Vitro Gametogenesis Research with a Social Understanding
Tetsuya Ishii; Mitinori Saitou
TRENDS IN MOLECULAR MEDICINE, 23, 11, 985, 988, Nov. 2017, [Peer-reviewed]
English, Scientific journal - Peer commentary: Mitochondrial Replacement Techniques and Mexico’s Rule of Law: On the Legality of the First Maternal Spindle Transfer Case
Tetsuya ISHII
Journal of Law and the Biosciences, May 2017, [Peer-reviewed], [Invited]
English, Scientific journal, In 2016, a group led by Dr. John Zhang, New Hope Fertility Center New York city, briefly reported translational research on a type of mitochondrial replacement technique (MRT), resulting in a childbirth in Mexico at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) meeting.1 Regarding the first clinical use of experimental MRT (specifically, spindle nuclear transfer: SNT), César Palacios-González and María de Jesús Medina-Arellano2 conducted an in-depth legal study, pointing out the possibility that those involved in the SNT broke the Regulations of the General Health Law on Health Research 19873 (the Regulations).
Palacios-González and Medina-Arellano asserted that Zhang et al. violated the Regulations primarily because the SNT research was implemented in order to prevent maternal transmission of a mitochondrial disease to offspring, which can hardly be interpreted as admissible research ‘to solve sterility problems that could not be otherwise solved’,4 as stipulated in the Regulations. Although the authors appear to have effectively accused Zhang et al. of regulatory violation, the scientists might offer a counterargument against the authors. More importantly, the authors’ legal interpretation paradoxically suggests that research on experimental SNT will be admissible to solve ‘sterility problems’ at fertility clinics in Mexico.
The present commentary first considers possible counterarguments to the judgment by the two authors. It then discusses some legal and social implications of MRTs for infertility treatment, indicating the potential for reproductive tourism suggesting that MRTs may be a last resort for treating intractable female infertility. - Genome-edited livestock: Ethics and social acceptance
Tetsuya ISHII
Animal Frontiers, 7, 2, 24, 32, Apr. 2017, [Peer-reviewed], [Invited]
English, Scientific journal, With the advent of robust genome editing tools, strains of cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, and fowls with no transgenes have been bred.
Food products derived from genome-edited livestock are expected to enter the market soon after the safety is confirmed in a country. However, previous controversy over genetically modified (GM) animals and cloned animals suggests that many people will be unlikely to accept the products from genome-edited animals.
The social acceptance of such farm animal products would depend on the major premise that animal breeding by genome editing is performed after due considerations with regard to people’s sense of ethics as well as animal welfare. - Editing the Human Genome: Progress and Controversies
Moderator; Marianne J. Legato; Participants; George M. Church; Henry T. Greely; Tetsuya Ishii; Virginia M. Miller; Justin P. Killian; Sherif Moussa
Gender and the Genome., 1, 1, 4, 11, Mar. 2017, [Invited]
English, Scientific journal - Reproductive medicine involving genome editing: clinical uncertainties and embryological needs
Tetsuya Ishii
REPRODUCTIVE BIOMEDICINE ONLINE, 34, 1, 27, 31, Jan. 2017, [Peer-reviewed]
English, Scientific journal - Germ line genome editing in clinics: the approaches, objectives and global society
Tetsuya Ishii
BRIEFINGS IN FUNCTIONAL GENOMICS, 16, 1, 46, 56, Jan. 2017, [Peer-reviewed], [Invited]
English, Scientific journal - A future scenario of the global regulatory landscape regarding genome-edited crops
Tetsuya ISHII; Motoko ARAKI
GM Crops & Food, In press, Dec. 2016, [Peer-reviewed], [Invited]
English, Scientific journal - Somatic Genome Editing for Health: Disease Treatments and Beyond
Tetsuya ISHII
Current Stem Cell Reports, 2, 313, Oct. 2016, [Peer-reviewed], [Invited]
English, Scientific journal, Genome editing has facilitated versatile gene modifications in somatic and
stem cells. Despite the early stage, therapeutic uses of ZFN and TALEN have
already demonstrated promising results in the treatment of HIV and leukemia.
Although the medical conditions to which genome editing therapy is applied
are being expanded in the clinical trials, it is currently unclear whether
regulatory authorities will approve genome editing therapy in the near future.
Moreover, the widespread use of CRISPR/Cas9, in particular, is likely to lead
to clinically unproven disease treatments. Furthermore, genome editing might
be used for gene doping or cosmetic treatments. This article discusses the
prospects of somatic genome editing for health purposes, while briefly
reviewing the relevant clinical trials. Moreover, some potential ethical issues
arising from the widespread use of genome editing are considered to discuss
how genome editing
medicine might be appropriately integrated into the
global society. - Consumer acceptance of food crops developed by genome editing
Tetsuya Ishii; Motoko Araki
PLANT CELL REPORTS, 35, 7, 1507, 1518, Jul. 2016, [Peer-reviewed], [Invited]
English, Scientific journal - Creating human germ cells for unmet reproductive needs
Tetsuya Ishii; Renee A. Reijo Pera
NATURE BIOTECHNOLOGY, 34, 5, 470, 473, May 2016, [Peer-reviewed]
English, Scientific journal - Providing Appropriate Risk Information on Genome Editing for Patients
Motoko Araki; Tetsuya Ishii
TRENDS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY, 34, 2, 86, 90, Feb. 2016, [Peer-reviewed]
English, Scientific journal - Germline genome-editing research and its socioethical implications
Tetsuya Ishii
TRENDS IN MOLECULAR MEDICINE, 21, 8, 473, 481, Aug. 2015, [Peer-reviewed]
English, Scientific journal - Towards social acceptance of plant breeding by genome editing
Motoko Araki; Tetsuya Ishii
TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE, 20, 3, 145, 149, Mar. 2015, [Peer-reviewed]
English, Scientific journal - Genome editing technology and crucial issues that should be addressed
石井 哲也
化学と生物, 52, 12, 836, 840, Dec. 2014, [Peer-reviewed], [Invited]
Japanese, Scientific journal, Genome editing technology, despite a robust genetic engineering, is creating indistinct regulatory boundaries. Here, the author discusses crucial issues that should be addressed for future applications of genome editing. - International regulatory landscape and integration of corrective genome editing into in vitro fertilization
Motoko Araki; Tetsuya Ishii
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY AND ENDOCRINOLOGY, 12, 108, 1, 12, Nov. 2014, [Peer-reviewed]
English, Scientific journal - Human iPS Cell-Derived Germ Cells: Current Status and Clinical Potential
Tetsuya ISHII
J. Clin. Med., 3, 4, 1064, 1083, Oct. 2014, [Peer-reviewed]
English, Scientific journal, Recently, fertile spermatozoa and oocytes were generated from mouse induced pluripotent (iPS) cells using a combined in vitro and in vivo induction system. With regard to germ cell induction from human iPS cells, progress has been made particularly in the male germline, demonstrating in vitro generation of haploid, round spermatids. Although iPS-derived germ cells are expected to be developed to yield a form of assisted reproductive technology (ART) that can address unmet reproductive needs, genetic and/or epigenetic instabilities abound in iPS cell generation and germ cell induction. In addition, there is still room to improve the induction protocol in the female germline. However, rapid advances in stem cell research are likely to make such obstacles surmountable, potentially translating induced germ cells into the clinical setting in the immediate future. This review examines the current status of the induction of germ cells from human iPS cells and discusses the clinical potential, as well as future directions. - Fetal stem cell transplantation: past, present, and future
Tetsuya ISHII; Koji ETO
World Journal of Stem Cells, 6, 4, 404, 420, Sep. 2014, [Peer-reviewed], [Invited]
English, Scientific journal, Since 1928, human fetal tissues and stem cells have been used worldwide to treat various conditions. Although the transplantation of the fetal midbrain substantia nigra and dopaminergic neurons in patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease is particularly noteworthy, the history of other types of grafts, such as those of the fetal liver, thymus, and pancreas, should be addressed as there are many lessons to be learnt for future stem cell transplantation. This report describes previous practices and complications that led to current clinical trials of isolated fetal stem cells and embryonic stem (ES) cells. Moreover, strategies for transplantation are considered, with a particular focus on donor cells, cell processing, and the therapeutic cell niche, in addition to ethical issues associated with fetal origin. With the advent of autologous induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells and ES cells, clinical dependence on fetal transplantation is expected to gradually decline due to lasting ethical controversies, despite landmark achievements. - Potential impact of human mitochondrial replacement on global policy regarding germline gene modification
Tetsuya Ishii
REPRODUCTIVE BIOMEDICINE ONLINE, 29, 2, 150, 155, Aug. 2014, [Peer-reviewed]
English, Scientific journal - An Examination of the Implementation of a Science Cafe Regarding Non-Invasive Prenatal Genetic Testing
Tetsuya ISHII; Schuko OHTSU
Japanese Journal of Science Communication, 15, 59, 71, 北海道大学高等教育推進機構 高等教育研究部 科学技術コミュニケーション教育研究部門（CoSTEP）, Jun. 2014, [Peer-reviewed]
English, Scientific journal, Although clinical use of non-invasive prenatal genetic testing (NIPT) to detect fetal aneuploidy may improve reproductive autonomy owing to early testing, its reliability, as well as the ease of obtaining blood samples, NIPT raises clinical, ethical, and social issues. We herein report the implementation of a science cafe regarding NIPT and examine the results. In this cafe, we explained various attitudes toward NIPT and relevant policies as well as information regarding on human reproduction and congenital anomalies. The subsequent survey clarified the acceptability of NIPT among the participants as follows: acceptable = 27%, rather acceptable = 32%, rather unacceptable = 14%, unacceptable = 1%, and unanswerable = 26%. These results and considerations suggested the possibility that this science cafe increased caution among some of the participants with respect to NIPT. Meanwhile, the survey also revealed the possibility that some individuals may accept the use of NIPT to detect genetic diseases and assess intelligence. Prior to the further spread of NIPT, social education should be given for better exercising reproductive autonomy. From this perspective, a science cafe may be an effective approach, as it provides important information in a casual and intimate manner and promotes mutual communication among the participants. - Caution required for handling genome editing technology
Motoko Araki; Kumie Nojima; Tetsuya Ishii
TRENDS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY, 32, 5, 234, 237, May 2014, [Peer-reviewed]
English, Scientific journal - Sensitization to laboratory animal allergens among students and researchers exposed to laboratory rodents in Hokkaido University
Aya Yoshimura; Manabu Musashi; Takeaki Kaneko; Shunsuke Ohnishi; Chieko Orito; Yukako Kawahara; Satoshi Hashino; Masami Morimatsu; Satoshi Konno; Jiro Arikawa; Tetsuya Ishii; Masaya Sawamura; Ichiro Ueda
Japanese Journal of Allergology, 63, 8, 1132, 1139, Japanese Society of Allergology, 2014, [Peer-reviewed]
Japanese, Scientific journal - Ethical and Legal Issues Arising in Research on Inducing Human Germ Cells from Pluripotent Stem Cells
Tetsuya Ishii; Renee A. Reijo Pera; Henry T. Greely
CELL STEM CELL, 13, 2, 145, 148, Aug. 2013, [Peer-reviewed]
English, Scientific journal - Screening ethnically diverse human embryonic stem cells identifies a chromosome 20 minimal amplicon conferring growth advantage
Katherine Amps; Peter W. Andrews; George Anyfantis; Lyle Armstrong; Stuart Avery; Hossein Baharvand; Julie Baker; Duncan Baker; Maria B. Munoz; Stephen Beil; Nissim Benvenisty; Dalit Ben-Yosef; Juan-Carlos Biancotti; Alexis Bosman; Romulo Martin Brena; Daniel Brison; Gunilla Caisander; Maria V. Camarasa; Jieming Chen; Eric Chiao; Young Min Choi; Andre B. H. Choo; Daniel Collins; Alan Colman; Jeremy M. Crook; George Q. Daley; Anne Dalton; Paul A. De Sousa; Chris Denning; Janet Downie; Petr Dvorak; Karen D. Montgomery; Anis Feki; Angela Ford; Victoria Fox; Ana M. Fraga; Tzvia Frumkin; Lin Ge; Paul J. Gokhale; Tamar Golan-Lev; Hamid Gourabi; Michal Gropp; Lu Guangxiu; Ales Hampl; Katie Harron; Lyn Healy; Wishva Herath; Frida Holm; Outi Hovatta; Johan Hyllner; Maneesha S. Inamdar; Astrid Kresentia Irwanto; Tetsuya Ishii; Marisa Jaconi; Ying Jin; Susan Kimber; Sergey Kiselev; Barbara B. Knowles; Oded Kopper; Valeri Kukharenko; Anver Kuliev; Maria A. Lagarkova; Peter W. Laird; Majlinda Lako; Andrew L. Laslett; Neta Lavon; Dong Ryul Lee; Jeoung Eun Lee; Chunliang Li; Linda S. Lim; Tenneille E. Ludwig; Yu Ma; Edna Maltby; Ileana Mateizel; Yoav Mayshar; Maria Mileikovsky; Stephen L. Minger; Takamichi Miyazaki; Shin Yong Moon; Harry Moore; Christine Mummery; Andras Nagy; Norio Nakatsuji; Kavita Narwani; Steve K. W. Oh; Sun Kyung Oh; Cia Olson; Timo Otonkoski; Fei Pan; In-Hyun Park; Steve Pells; Martin F. Pera; Lygia V. Pereira; Ouyang Qi; Grace Selva Raj; Benjamin Reubinoff; Alan Robins; Paul Robson; Janet Rossant; Ghasem H. Salekdeh; Thomas C. Schulz; Karen Sermon; Jameelah Sheik Mohamed; Hui Shen; Eric Sherrer; Kuldip Sidhu; Shirani Sivarajah; Heli Skottman; Claudia Spits; Glyn N. Stacey; Raimund Strehl; Nick Strelchenko; Hirofumi Suemori; Bowen Sun; Riitta Suuronen; Kazutoshi Takahashi; Timo Tuuri; Parvathy Venu; Yuri Verlinsky; Dorien Ward-van Oostwaard; Daniel J. Weisenberger; Yue Wu; Shinya Yamanaka; Lorraine Young; Qi Zhou
NATURE BIOTECHNOLOGY, 29, 12, 1132, U113, Dec. 2011, [Peer-reviewed]
English, Scientific journal - 米国における胚性幹細胞の医療応用に向けた動向
松永亜由美; 石井哲也
再生医療 日本再生医療学会雑誌, 10, 2, 2011, [Peer-reviewed]
Japanese, Scientific journal
- iPS細胞、核初期化機構と臨床応用 (Biophilia Special 再生医療で元気になる)
石井 哲也; 山中 伸弥, Biophilia : 生命科学の未来を考える, 7, 3, 12, 16, 2011
アドスリー ; 東京, Japanese - Kyoto University integrated hub for iPS cell research
石井 哲也; 山中 伸弥, Regenerative medicine, 8, 3, 12, 16, Aug. 2009
メディカルレビュー社, Japanese
- International Federation of Fertility Societies’ (IFFS) Triennial Report 2025: Global Trends in Reproductive Policy and Practice, 10th edition
Tetsuya Ishii
Global Reproductive Health, 2025, [Joint editor] - 全ゲノム・エクソーム解析時代の遺伝医療, ゲノム医療における倫理・法・社会
石井哲也, 多遺伝子スコアの倫理：成人，未成年者，胎児，胚の観点
メディカルドゥ, Nov. 2024, 9784909508300, [Contributor] - 今、ゲノム医療が直面している課題とは？ 尊厳が守られるルールづくりのために
石井哲也
月刊保団連, Jun. 2024, [Single work] - ゲノム編集 遺伝子を壊す治療の承認背景と展望.
石井哲也
現代化学 3月号. 20-21. 2024., Mar. 2024, [Others] - ヒト受精卵のゲノム編集と生殖利用
55:1807-1810., Nov. 2023, [Others] - Reproduction Reborn: How Science, Ethics, and Law Shape Mitochondrial Replacement Therapies
Tetsuya Ishii, Asia
Oxford Univ Pr, 14 Feb. 2023, 0197616194, 304, [Contributor] - 人のゲノム編集をめぐる倫理規範の構築を目指して
石井哲也, 第２章 生殖細胞系列ゲノム編集により生み出された人々に対する責任の所在
知泉書院, Mar. 2022, 9784862853585, [Contributor] - スポーツと遺伝子ドーピングを問う:技術の現在から倫理的問題まで
森岡 正博; 石井 哲也; 竹村 瑞穂; 竹越 一博; 戸崎 晃明; 関根 正美; アンディ・ミアー; 立花 幸司; 坂本 拓弥; 片山 善博; 中村 桂子
晃洋書房, 30 Jan. 2022, 4771035431, 258, [Joint editor] - Human Germline Genome Modification and the Right to Science A Comparative Study of National Laws and Policies
Tetsuya Ishii, 16. The regulation of human germline genome modification in Japan
Cambridge University Press, Jan. 2020, [Contributor] - Precision Medicine for Investigators, Practitioners and Providers 1st Edition
Tetsuya Ishii, 41. Reproductive medicine involving genome editing: its clinical and social conundrums
Elsevior, Nov. 2019, [Contributor] - Regulation of genome editing in plant biotechnology : a comparative analysis of regulatory frameworks of selected countries and the EU
Tetsuya Ishii, Regulation of Genome Editing in Plant Biotechnology: Japan
Springer, 2019, 9783030171186, xi, 372 p., English, [Contributor] - 人がセックスをやめるとき: 生殖の将来を考える
翻訳者; 石井 哲也
東京化学同人, Dec. 2018, 480790941X, Japanese, General book, 数十年後の先進国では,生殖医療が安全に安価に行われるようになって,人々は子をもうける目的での性行為をしなくなるだろうと著者はいう. 本書では,このような生殖の未来をもたらす革命的な生物学的技術について述べ,そこで人類が直面するであろう倫理的および社会的問題を提起する., [Others] - Encyclopedia of Reproduction 2nd Edition
Tetsuya ISHII, Global Changes in the Regulation of Reproductive Medicine
Elsevier, Aug. 2018, 9780128118993, 380-386, English, Dictionary or encycropedia, The regulatory landscape of reproductive medicine has globally changed, reflecting ethical, religious, and social aspects as well as advances in biomedicine. This chapter describes the current state of regulation of reproductive medicine in 49 countries, and examines the changes in such regulation over past decade. It then reviews important legal changes in in vitro fertilization, gamete donation, surrogacy, preimplantation genetic diagnosis, and germline genetic modification. It also focuses on the regulation of reproductive medicine in the G7 countries. Finally, it discusses future potential regulatory changes, particularly regarding reproductive medicine involving no third parties., [Contributor] - Genome Editing and Engineering From TALENs, ZFNs and CRISPRs to Molecular Surgery
Tetsuya ISHII, The Ethics of Human Genome Editing
Cambridge University Press, Aug. 2018, 9781107170377, 443-453, English, Scholarly book, [Contributor] - エコノミスト 2017年 7/25 号 病は遺伝子で治す
石井 哲也, 現実味帯びる遺伝子改変人間
毎日新聞社, Jul. 2017, [Contributor] - 新赤版1669 ゲノム編集を問う - 作物からヒトまで
石井 哲也
岩波書店, Jul. 2017, 9784004316695, 224, General book, 「ゲノム編集」とは何で、何が問題なのか。――〈狙った遺伝子を〉〈痕跡残さず〉改変できるこの技術は、生命のありようをどう変え、そしてどこまで変えることが許されるのか。規制と推進とで揺れる中、対話のために、作物や家畜の品種改良、そしてヒトの医療におけるその可能性と課題をあぶり出し、いかに向き合うべきかを真摯に問う。, [Single work] - ヒトの遺伝子改変はどこまで許されるのか ゲノム編集の光と影
石井 哲也
イーストプレス, Jan. 2017, 4781680259, General book, ゲノム編集技術「クリスパー・キャス9」は、これまでの技術とは比較にならないほど正確かつ自在にDNAを操作することが可能となった。農業、畜産など様々な分野での利用が期待されているが、とりわけ注目すべきは医療分野だ。ゲノム編集が「ヒトの受精卵」の遺伝子改変に利用されるという、かつてない状況のなかで、われわれは「生命」「家族」をどう捉えるべきか。本書ではゲノム編集の可能性と課題を浮き彫りにする。, [Single work] - Human Reproduction: Updates and New Horizons
Tetsuya ISHII, Mitochondrial Manipulation for Infertility Treatment and Disease Prevention
John Wiley and Sons, Dec. 2016, 9781118849583, 432, 205-230, English, Scholarly book, Mitochondrial dysfunction in human germline may be associated with infertility. Moreover, mitochondrial diseases are caused by various mutations in mitochondrial and/or nuclear DNA. This chapter discusses the past, present and future of mitochondrial manipulation techniques such as ooplasmic transfer, pronuclear transfer, germinal vesicle transfer, spindle transfer and genome editing., [Contributor] - ゲノム編集医療は社会に普及するか
石井 哲也
科学 岩波書店, Dec. 2016, Japanese, Others, [Single work] - 進化するゲノム編集技術
石井 哲也, ゲノム編集の医療応用への課題と展望
ネヌ・ティー・エス, Oct. 2015, [Contributor] - ヒト受精卵のゲノム編集と倫理的意味
石井 哲也
現代化学（東京化学同人）, Jul. 2015, Japanese, Others, [Single work] - 医学のあゆみ別冊 次世代iPS医療
石井 哲也, iPS細胞と政策
医歯薬出版株式会社, 2012, [Contributor] - 幹細胞医学と病理
石井 哲也, 「iPS細胞とは」
文光堂, 2009, [Contributor]
- 多遺伝子に基づく胚選別と遺伝子還元主義.
石井哲也
日本医学・哲学倫理学会., 13 Sep. 2025, Japanese, Oral presentation - Discuss parenting intelligent children, without selecting embryos by polygenic scores for intelligence.
Tetsuya Ishii
World Congress of Bioethics 2024, 05 Jun. 2024, English, Oral presentation - 将来の子の知能を予想する着床前検査の倫理.
石井哲也
日本生命倫理学会, 10 Dec. 2023, Japanese, Oral presentation - 多遺伝子リスクスコアの倫理：成人、未成人、胚にとってのリスク.
石井哲也
日本医学・哲学倫理学会., 14 Oct. 2023, Japanese, Oral presentation - 非匿名の配偶子提供者を再考する
石井哲也
生命倫理学会, 19 Nov. 2022, Japanese, Oral presentation - 配偶子提供をアイデンティティから考える
石井哲也
日本医学哲学・倫理学会, 08 Oct. 2022, Japanese, Oral presentation - Shifting to a model of donor conception that entails a communication agreement among the parents, donor, and offspring.
Tetsuya Ishii; Iñigo de; Miguel Beriain
World Congress of Bioethics 2022, 22 Jul. 2022, English, Oral presentation - 遺伝子ドーピング技術と倫理の最前線
石井哲也
早稲田大学現代死生学研究所 オンライン公開シンポジウム スポーツと遺伝子ドーピングを考える, 07 May 2022, Japanese, Public discourse
[Invited] - Genome edited organisms in Japan: Past, present, future.
Ishii Tetsuya
Genome Editing in Europe: New Agenda or New Disputes?, 02 Oct. 2020, English, Public discourse
[Invited] - Safety implications of germline genome editing for genetically-related future children and the reproductive autonomy of parents.
Ishii Tetsuya
2020 World Congress of Bioethics, 18 Jun. 2020, English, Oral presentation - 配偶子提供の再考：匿名提供の困難化を足がかりに.
石井哲也
2019年日本生命倫理学会大会, 07 Dec. 2019, Japanese, Oral presentation - Should long‐term follow‐up post‐mitochondrial replacement be left up to physicians, parents, or offspring?
Tetsuya Ishii
2019年欧州生殖医学会, 25 Jun. 2019, English, Oral presentation - Potential Guidelines for Germline Genome Editing in Clinics
Tetsuya ISHII
Keystone Symposia 2018: Precision Genome Editing with Programmable Nucleases, 01 Feb. 2018, Keystone Symposia, English, Invited oral presentation
Keystone, Colorado, USA, Recently, several reports have appeared, demonstrating that human embryos can be genetically modified using CRISPR/Cas9. In the near future, human germline genome editing will be clinically used. It is worth considering the appropriate uses from early on, although its clinical, ethical, legal and social issues still remain. In the present talk, the potential guidelines for the clinical use of germline genome editing is discussed. Although the most likely purpose is the prevention of serious monogenic disease in offspring, its use for the treatment of intractable infertility cases is also likely. It further discusses moral characters as well as duties or rules, for the responsible uses of human germline genome editing., [Invited], [International presentation] - ミトコンドリア操作を伴う生殖医療の 倫理的査問
石井 哲也
受精着床学会2017年大会, 20 Jul. 2017, Japanese, Invited oral presentation
[Invited], [Domestic Conference] - Indications of the global prevalence of inheritable mitochondrial modifications.
Tetsuya ISHII
ESHRE2017, 03 Jul. 2017, English, Poster presentation
[International presentation] - ゲノム編集家畜を査問する
石井 哲也
日本ゲノム編集学会, 30 Jun. 2017, Japanese, Nominated symposium
[Invited], [Domestic Conference] - 生殖細胞系列の遺伝学的改変の現状と 倫理的・社会的問題
石井 哲也
神戸大学人文・社会科学系融合研究領域ワークショップ, 17 Jun. 2017, Japanese, Nominated symposium
[Invited], [Domestic Conference] - Challenges and Solutions for Food Security in Asia-Pacific
Tetsuya ISHII
PLANT GENOMICS & GENE EDITING ASIA CONGRESS, 10 Apr. 2017, English, Nominated symposium
[Invited], [International presentation] - ヒト胚へのゲノム編集技術：臨床利用の是非
石井 哲也
第28回日本生命倫理学会年次大会, 04 Dec. 2016, Japanese, Public symposium
[Domestic Conference] - 体細胞ゲノム編集：疾患治療とその先にあるもの
石井 哲也
第28回日本生命倫理学会年次大会, 04 Dec. 2016, Japanese, Oral presentation
[Domestic Conference] - 生殖細胞系列のゲノム改変が意味するもの
石井 哲也
第35回日本医学哲学・倫理学会大会, 05 Nov. 2016, Japanese, Oral presentation
[Domestic Conference] - ゲノム編集は家畜の内在価値を変えるか
石井 哲也
第１０回家畜ＤＮＡ西郷シンポジウム, 28 Sep. 2016, (独)家畜改良センター、(公社)畜産技術協会, Japanese, Invited oral presentation
福島, ゲノム編集技術を用いた家畜や家禽の育種研究が急速な勢いで進んでいる。遺伝子組換え技術の農業応用を回顧すると、遺伝子組換え作物は20年の月日を経て少なくとも28か国で商業栽培に至ったが、一般の人々の間では依然として安全性や環境への悪影響に対する懸念がある。日本における遺伝子組換え作物の商業栽培例は、花卉を除けばない。一方、遺伝子組換え動物に関しては規制当局の承認自体が僅少である。米国における医薬品のバイオリアクターとして供するヤギのほか、直接食用に供する目的の動物は北米におけるサケ程度しか思い浮かばない。遺伝子組換え技術の農業応用における懸念はいくつかの要因があり、特に導入された外来遺伝子が注目されている。しかし、それ以外の要因、特に倫理的観点についても慎重に検討すべきではないだろうか。さて、ゲノム編集は、遺伝子組換えに比較して多様な遺伝子改変を高効率に達成できる優れた遺伝子工学ツールである。ゲノム編集を用いて研究開発されている家畜や家禽を俯瞰すると、その大多数は、外来遺伝子の導入ではなく、内在の遺伝子の破壊、あるいは遺伝子異型のコピーといった改変を行っている。これらの外来遺伝子がない家畜等に由来する食品は人々に受けいれられるだろうか。, [Invited], [Domestic Conference] - ゲノム編集による作物育種と消費者受容性
石井 哲也
日本植物学会第80回大会, 18 Sep. 2016, Japanese, Invited oral presentation
沖縄, [Invited], [Domestic Conference] - Thinking about the social integration of genome editing
Tetsuya ISHII
tkr0219, 19 Aug. 2016, Japanese, Invited oral presentation
[Domestic Conference] - What are the appropriate roles of induced germ cells at fertility clinics?
Tetsuya Ishii; Renee. A. Reijo Per
欧州生殖医学会, 03 Jul. 2016, English, Poster presentation
[International presentation] - Genome editing-mediated cell transplantations: Clinical, ethical and legal issues
Tetsuya ISHII
the Second Annual Clinical Applications of Stem Cells, 25 Feb. 2016, Select Biosciences South East Asia, English, Invited oral presentation
シンガポール, Genome editing technology, represented by CRISPR/Cas9, facilitates somatic and germline gene modifications. The introduction of site-directed nucleases efficiently disrupts endogenous genes, repairs mutations and adds exogenous genes at target sites in the human genome, potentially providing a myriad of medical benefits. However, there are some issues that should be addressed in genome editing-mediated cell transplantations. Autologous ex vivo somatic editing therapy and in vitro germline editing medicine are herein discussed from clinical, ethical and legal points of view. With regard to legal aspect, there is no significant problem in ex vivo somatic editing. By contrast, in vitro germline genome editing faces a de facto global consensus that no human germline should be genetically modified for reproductive purposes. However, current regulatory landscape (39 countries) suggests that human germline gene modification is not completely prohibited worldwide. Informed consent is obtainable from patients who will receive edited somatic cells. In the case of germline editing, the consent can be obtained from prospective parents. In doing so, the risk of off-target effects will be included in the explanation prior to obtaining informed consent. This presentation will discuss possible responses to upcoming clinical, ethical and legal issues raised by genome editing-mediated cell transplantation., [Invited], [International presentation] - A wholley new path via genome editing
Tetsuya ISHII
International summit on human gene editing, 03 Dec. 2015, The US NAS, the CAS and the RS, English, Invited oral presentation
Washington D.C., [Invited], [International presentation] - 生殖細胞系ゲノム編集の倫理的、社会的意味
石井 哲也
第27回日本生命倫理学会年次大会, 28 Nov. 2015, Japanese, Oral presentation
長きにわたる論争を経て、ヒト生殖細胞系のいかなる遺伝的改変も禁じるという世界的コンセンサスが形成されてきた。しかしながら、2015年2月、英国議会は重篤なミトコンドリア病の母系遺伝予防を目的とした、卵子や胚間での核移植によるトコンドリア移植の許認可法案を可決し、生殖細胞系の遺伝的改変を明確に認める初の国が生まれた。私は、ミトコンドリア移植に関する生物医学的、法的、倫理的問題を精査し（1）、英国における法制化が世界に与える影響について警鐘を鳴らし続けている（2）。だが、英国に呼応するかのように、米国科学アカデミーがFDA依頼を受け、目下、ミトコンドリア移植の倫理的側面の検討を進めている。
近年、ゲノム編集と呼ばれる人工ヌクレアーゼは、従来のウイルスベクターなどに比して利用が簡便で、高効率な改変を可能とし、霊長類の受精卵への精密注入により標的遺伝子改変が可能であるという報告がなされている。私は、ゲノム編集と生殖補助医療が合流した際に生じる、生物医学的、倫理的、法的、社会的課題の検討を行い、昨年、生殖細胞系における変異修復を目的を目的とした予防医療の問題点について論文発表を行った（3）。これを契機に、生殖細胞系ゲノム編集の議論に参加している（4, 5, 6, 7）。一方で、ごく最近、ゲノム編集を用いて変異ミトコンドリアDNAを駆逐する改良型ゲノム編集が報告され、ミトコンドリア移植における倫理的問題の一つ、卵子ドナーが不要となる可能性も生まれつつある。本報告では、ゲノム編集の濫用も含めて、生殖細胞系のゲノム編集の倫理的、社会的意味について議論する(8)。, [Domestic Conference] - Embryonic genome editing in clinics; the objectives and global society
Tetsuya ISHII
Genome on demand? exploring of the implications of human genome editing, 06 Nov. 2015, The Health Council of the Netherlands (GR) and The Netherlands Commission on Genetic Modification (COGEM), English, Invited oral presentation
Amsterdam, the Netherlands, [Invited], [International presentation] - Human germline genome editing: Clinical, ethical and legal implications.
Tetsuya ISHII
UNESCO Chair in Bioethics 11th World Conference, 22 Oct. 2015, English, Oral presentation
[International presentation] - ゲノム編集による植物育種と社会受容性
石井 哲也
第7回遺伝子組換え実験安全研修会, 01 Aug. 2015, 全国大学等遺伝子研究支援施設連絡協議会, Japanese, Public discourse
東京, [Invited], [Domestic Conference] - Ethics in agricultural and medical uses of genome editing represented by CRISPR/Cas
Tetsuya ISHII
CRISPR Genome Editing in Medicine and Biotechnology, 09 Jun. 2015, Center for Genome Editing at the Institute for Basic Science, English, Invited oral presentation
Seoul, [Invited], [International presentation] - Plant breeding by genome editing and its social issues
Tetsuya ISHII
Science Council of Japan, 27 Apr. 2015, 日本学術会議, Japanese, Invited oral presentation
Tokyo, [Invited], [Domestic Conference] - Ethical Inquiry into Fetal and Embryonic Cell Transplantation and Germ Cell Induction from Stem Cells
Tetsuya ISHII
8th Annual World Congress of Regenerative Medicine & Stem Cell 2015- Korea, 19 Mar. 2015, English, Invited oral presentation
[Invited], [International presentation] - 生殖細胞系の 高精度遺伝的改変技術の進展と 倫理的、法的、社会的課題
石井 哲也
第26回日本生命倫理学会年次大会, 26 Oct. 2014, Japanese, Oral presentation
浜松, [Domestic Conference] - URA の意義と今後の展望：理系機関での実績を踏まえた一つの観点
石井 哲也
研究推進におけるURAの意義と多様性―文系機関での可能性を探る, 18 Mar. 2014, 東京大学社会科学研究所研究戦略室, Public discourse
東京大学, [Invited]
- 医倫理学, 2024年, 博士後期課程, 医学研究科
- 生命倫理学特論, 2024年, 修士課程, 生命科学院
- 大学院共通授業科目（一般科目）：複合領域, 2024年, 修士課程, 大学院共通科目
- 医倫理学序論, 2024年, 修士課程, 医学院
- 応用社会行動科学, 2024年, 修士課程, 医学院
- 医倫理学, 2024年, 博士後期課程, 医学院
- JAPAN ASSOCIATION FOR BIOETHICS
- European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology(ESHRE)
- JAPANESE ASSOCIATION FOR LABORATORY ANIMAL SCIENCE
- International Society for Stem Cell Reseach
- 包括的生殖補助医療法の制定に向けて
科学研究費助成事業
01 Apr. 2022 - 31 Mar. 2025
水野 紀子; 小浜 正子; 建石 真公子; 久具 宏司; 早川 眞一郎; 三宅 秀彦; 西 希代子; 石井 哲也
生殖補助医療をどのような法的ルールに基づいて実施していくのか。これは、ドナーによる人工授精が普及し始めた1950年代から問われ続けてきた問題である。その後の生命科学技術の進展に伴い、精子・卵子提供、胚提供や代理懐胎などのように第三者が関わる場合、出生前診断などのように出産の継続を問いかける結果となる技術の場合、胚に対する研究の要請の場合など、問題は拡がりをみせている。これらは生命や親子関係に関わる重要な問題でありながら、従来の法制度では解決することが難しい。
本研究は、法律学のみならず、医学や社会学の観点から、多様な専門のメンバーがこの難問にとりくんでいる。他国の状況も急速に変化しており、その変化を追いかけるとともに、地球規模で生殖補助医療ツアーが地球規模で行われるようになっている現在、国際的な規制の試みも始まっている。それらの状況の研究を続けると同時に、日本法の立法を模索している。
本年度は、それらの研究を活かして、2023年8月26日に、日本学術会議法学委員会生殖補助医療と法分科会と共催して「生殖補助医療のこれから－社会の合意に至るために考えるべきことー」と題したシンポジウムを行った。具体的には、久具宏司「生殖補助医療技術―不妊治療を超える現状」、西希代子「生殖補助医療をめぐる法的問題」、早川眞一郎「生殖補助医療の規律に関する国際社会の動向」、石井哲也「遺伝学等の進歩と日本社会と法」、建石真公子「生殖補助医療の法制化で問われる生命倫理、尊厳、自己決定権および生命権」などの報告を行い、参加者にも好評であり、議論が深まった。
日本学術振興会, 基盤研究(B), 白鴎大学, 23K22072 - 包括的生殖補助医療法の制定に向けて
科学研究費助成事業
01 Apr. 2022 - 31 Mar. 2025
水野 紀子; 小浜 正子; 建石 真公子; 久具 宏司; 早川 眞一郎; 三宅 秀彦; 西 希代子; 石井 哲也
日本学術振興会, 基盤研究(B), 白鴎大学, 22H00800 - The Possibility of Combining Human Rights Theory and Scientific Knowledge Theory in Establishing Legal Rules for Medical Intervention-genome editing-for human embryos.
Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research
30 Jul. 2020 - 31 Mar. 2023
建石 真公子; 中塚 幹也; 來田 享子; 石井 哲也; 土屋 仁美
本研究は、ヒト胚に対する研究に関して、医科学の進展に対する法の観点からの規制の是非、セクシュアリティ、生殖、価値判断の担い手、価値判断の基準、科学に関する評価などの多様で幅広い課題の検討が求められる。2021年度は各研究者による個別の専門領域におけるヒト胚研究、生命への医科学による介入、性別やジェンダー、遺伝子ドーピング、農作物種子法に関して進めてきた。具体的には、建石は、憲法学と国際人権法学の観点から、生命への医科学の介入の検討としてトランスジェンダーの性別変更における生殖腺除去について、フランス及びヨーロッパ人権裁判所が,私生活の尊重、人体の完全性の保護を根拠として生殖腺除去を要件とする法律を条約違反としフランスは法改正を行った点、フランスの生命倫理法改正における「人間の尊厳」と研究目的のヒト胚に対するゲノム編集の一部容認において、人間の尊厳という憲法規範の曖昧さが浮き彫りになったことを明らかにした。
医師の中塚は、トランスジェンダーにおける身体的治療、また子どもの性別違和とセクシュアル・マイノリティについて医科学の直接関わる部分だけでなく、人的環境や支援などからも考えて行くことが必要であると指摘する。
同じく科学分野から石井は、遺伝子ドーピングに関する考察において、問題は身体への遺伝的介入の不可逆性また全身性にあるとし、社会で強制力を持つ法規制の制定が有力な選択肢と提案する。胚の段階で遺伝子に介入することによる子の権利への侵害であることにも言及している。
スポーツ分野から來田は、身体は密接に関わる身体活動であるスポーツにおいては、ジェンダーの観点からオリンピズムを読み解く。來田は、性別二分性における基準としての性が、科学的には明確な基準とはなり得ないことを明らかにした。
憲法学から土屋は、農作物種子法改正に関して生物学への法の介入とその評価という課題に取り組んでいる。
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory), Hosei University, 20K20745 - Toward a Code of Ethics for Genome Editing-Scientific and Technological Innovation and Human Dignity-
Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research
01 Apr. 2019 - 31 Mar. 2022
Tasaka Satsuki
Nine of the members of the Subcommittee on "Considering Bioethics" of the Philosophy Committee of the 24th Affiliate Members of the Science Council of Japan will participate in this study, with the Chair of the Subcommittee, Satsuｋi Tasaka, as the principal investigator. This research issued a proposal in 2020 to establish a code of ethics for genome editing from the perspective of philosophy and ethics in response to the Science Council of Japan's 2017 proposal on genome editing in the medical and medical fields. And workshops were held at the Japan Philosophical Society and the Japanese Society of Ethics. In addition, science cafes and philosophy cafes were held with medical professionals and citizens in Hiroshima and Yokohama. In March 2022, the final year of the project, the principal investigator and co-principal investigator published a book on ethical issues in the application of genome editing to reproduction.
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B), Rissho University, 19H01188 - The ethics of experimental reproductive medicine involving mitochondrial manipulation: Gender and genetic relatedness.
2017 Research Grant
Feb. 2020 - Jan. 2021
Tetsuya ISHII
The Uehiro Foundation, Principal investigator, Competitive research funding - Rethinking Dual-use concept in Japan from viewpoint of STS
Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research
21 Oct. 2016 - 31 Mar. 2020
kawamoto shishin
Based on the literature, interviews, and questionnaire surveys, the characteristics of the dual-use concept in Japan are summarized as follows: 1) no continuity of “military-civilian use” and “misuse/abuse”; 2) focus on military research, not military-civilian research ; 3) on the "entry point debate" to determine whether or not the research is military research depending on the organization funding it; and (4) The "dual-use" is used for reason to affirme and also deny the military-civilian researches; 5) It focuses on images of nuclear weapons, chemical weapons, and bioterrorism.
These results were published in six papers, five books, and three general articles. In addition, five events for the public, participated at symposium to discuss on this issue with public society.
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C), Hokkaido University, 16K01157 - The Impact of Advanced Stem Cell Technology on a Society
科研費 基盤C
Apr. 2014 - Mar. 2017
Tetsuya ISHII
JSPS, Principal investigator, Competitive research funding
Industrial Property Rights
- Human germline genome editing: report, consideration, proposal.
15 Dec. 2015
Academic research
Cabinet Office
- ラボと胚と私
06 Oct. 2022
Lecturer
日本卵子学会
2022 年度第 14 回生殖補助医療胚培養士セミナー - ゲノム編集家畜と倫理
05 Oct. 2022
Lecturer
農林水産省
中央畜産技術研修会 - 消費生活講座 ゲノム編集食品 正しく理解・選択するために
26 May 2022
Lecturer
札幌市消費者センター - ゲノム編集家畜と倫理
06 Oct. 2021
Lecturer
農林水産省
中央畜産技術研修会 - ゲノム編集家畜と倫理
07 Oct. 2020
Lecturer
農林水産省
中央畜産技術研修会 - ゲノム編集と生命倫理
17 Jul. 2017
Lecturer
ゲノム問題検討会議
シンポジウム タブーに踏み込む科学・科学者 軍事研究、遺伝子操作について考える - 植物、動物、ヒトをデザインするゲノム編集を考える
24 Sep. 2015
Lecturer
北海道政経懇話会
北海道政経懇話会（代表幹事・広瀬兼三北海道新聞社社長）は、９月２４日正午から札幌東急ＲＥＩホテル（札幌市中央区南４西５）で９月例会を開きます。北大安全衛生本部教授の石井哲也氏（４５）が、「植物、動物、ヒトをデザインするゲノム編集を考える」と題し講演します。
ゲノム編集とは、遺伝子を目的に応じて改変する画期的な技術。各国で研究が進んでおり、この技術を使えば農畜産物の生産量や品質を大きく高め、新品種の開発にも役立つと言われています。
一方で、これらの食物の安全性や環境に与える影響についての研究は進んでいません。石井氏は生命倫理の観点から、遺伝子治療など人間への応用の前に、ゲノム編集のルール作りに向けた議論の必要性を訴えています。群馬県出身。 - ヒト遺伝子編集 どこまで許容
06 May 2015
Report writing, Contribution
読売新聞
読売新聞 論点 - 『生殖の科学技術と私たち』
06 Jan. 2015
Lecturer
第３７回 養護教諭研修講座 - ミトコンドリア置換： 究極の医療、それとも？
02 Dec. 2014
Lecturer
平成遠友夜学校
平成遠友夜学校 - 遺伝⼦組換え技術と異なるNBTを用いた作物育種技術の動向
19 Nov. 2014
Informant
北海道食の安全・安心委員会
遺伝子組換え作物交雑等防止部会
Governmental agency
- ３人の遺伝子継ぐ子誕生 遺伝性の病気予防期待 長期的見極め必要
29 Sep. 2016
朝日新聞
朝日新聞朝刊
[Paper] - ３人の遺伝子持つ子誕生 安全性 日本でも議論に
29 Sep. 2016
日経新聞
日経新聞
[Paper] - IVF medium may impact newborn weight.
02 Sep. 2016
tkr0219
石井哲也・北海道大教授（生命倫理）は「体外受精は近年増える一方だが、培養液はブラックボックスとなっており、安全性などを見直す意味で重要な報告だ」と話している。, [Paper] - Egg-revitalizing treatment Two pregnant among 25 at a clinic in Osaka
29 Aug. 2016
tkr0219
石井哲也・北海道大教授（生命倫理）の話「ミトコンドリアにはＤＮＡも含まれる。生まれてくる子に予期せぬ遺伝的影響が出る恐れがあることも考えると、治療として提供するのは疑問。基礎的な研究を積み重ねるべきだ」, [Paper] - Infertility treatment [Rejuvenation of eggs]? Two women pregnant First in Japan
29 Aug. 2016
tkr0219
生殖補助医療に詳しい石井哲也・北海道大教授（生命倫理）は「ミトコンドリアには独自のゲノムがあり、生殖細胞への遺伝的な介入となることも考慮し、基礎研究で効果を確かめる必要がある。証拠がない医療を人体でやるのは問題だ。なし崩し的に実施されれば大きな社会問題に発展しうる」と指摘する。, [Paper] - Concern over the selection of lives
13 Aug. 2016
tkr0219
[Paper] - Chinese scientists to pioneer first human CRISPR trial
21 Jul. 2016
Nature News
Ishii notes that if the clinical trial begins as planned, it would be the latest in a series of firsts for China in the field of CRISPR gene editing, including the first CRISPR-edited human embryos, and the first CRISPR-edited monkeys. “When it comes to gene editing, China goes first,” says Ishii., [Paper] - Mitochondrial diseases Nuclear transfer between eggs may not prevent onset in children ?
01 Jun. 2016
tkr0219
石井哲也・北海道大教授（生命倫理）の話 卵子核移植のリスクを示す重要な報告で、臨床応用は時期尚早ではないか。技術的な安全性などについて検討する必要がある。, [Paper] - 受精卵ゲノム編集と生命倫理
28 Apr. 2016
NHK
視点・論点
[Media report] - ゲノム編集：ヒト受精卵改変容認 臨床利用は認めず 内閣府調査会
23 Apr. 2016
毎日新聞
北海道大の石井哲也教授（生命倫理学）は「受精卵はヒトになり得るもので、単に実験材料として扱うのには問題が大きい。社会が必要性を納得し、研究は進められるべきだ」と指摘した。, [Paper] - ヒト受精卵：「ゲノム編集」で操作 ＨＩＶ阻止 中国チーム、２例目
10 Apr. 2016
毎日新聞
今回の研究について、石井哲也・北海道大教授（生命倫理学）は「受精卵の段階での感染症予防が目的の遺伝子改変で、医学的な合理性が乏しい。出産時や出生後に予防策はあり、研究の必要性があると言えるのか疑問だ」と話す。, [Paper] - ヒト受精卵の遺伝子操作、中国チームが論文発表 ２例目
09 Apr. 2016
朝日新聞
石井哲也・北海道大教授（生命倫理学）は「今後、ヒト受精卵を改変させる研究は増えていくだろうが、その実施は極めて慎重でなければならない。ヒト受精卵でなければできない研究なのか、医学的に本当に必要な研究なのか、議論を尽くすべきだ」と話す。, [Paper] - ヒト受精卵のゲノム編集 法整備し基礎研究に限定
01 Apr. 2016
産経新聞
オピニオン, [Paper] - 着床前スクリーニング リスクの認識十分か
18 Mar. 2016
毎日新聞
朝刊11面, [Paper] - 遺伝子改変 応用に懸念も…「受精卵」英で承認 不妊治療光明
26 Feb. 2016
読売新聞
サミットに出席した石井哲也・北海道大教授（生命倫理）は、「日本はゲノム編集の規制の議論が遅れている。幅広い分野の専門家や一般の国民を交えた議論が必要だ」と指摘する。, [Paper] - ヒト受精卵改変、子宮に戻さない条件で研究認める 英国
03 Feb. 2016
朝日新聞
北海道大の石井哲也教授（生命倫理学）は「英国の動きは世界の研究者に影響を与えるだろう。今回の研究は、ゲノム編集によるリスクの程度を知ることにもつながるが、日本をはじめ中国や米国など、規制が緩い国では安易な臨床応用が懸念される。国レベルでの早期の対応が求められている」と話す。 - 受精卵「ゲノム編集」承認 英研究所
02 Feb. 2016
毎日新聞
石井哲也・北海道大教授は「英国がヒト受精卵の遺伝子改変の基礎研究にお墨付きを与えた点で興味深く、今後、世界でも同様の研究の申請が増えると予想される。一方、日本には法規制がなく、規制の方向性や同様の基礎研究の意義について国民的議論を急ぐ必要がある」と話す。, [Paper] - ヒトゲノム編集 国際会議で基礎研究容認 国内法規制急務
27 Dec. 2015
毎日新聞
石井教授は「不妊治療の関係者も交えた議論を進め、基礎研究から臨床応用まで網羅した法律を早急に策定すべきだ」と訴える。, [Paper] - ＜ゲノム編集＞法整備を…政府調査会、早急対応求める声
15 Dec. 2015
毎日新聞
石井哲也・北海道大教授は「受精卵などを扱う研究や医療を規制する基本法の策定を急ぐべきだ」と提言した。, [Paper] - CRISPR tweak may help gene-edited crops bypass biosafety regulation
19 Oct. 2015
Nature
“I think this is a milestone work for plant science,’ says bioethicist Tetsuya Ishii at Hokkaido University in Sapporo, Japan, who has extensively studied the framework of regulation surrounding genetic engineering in plants., [Paper] - Where in the world could the first CRISPR baby be born?
14 Oct. 2015
Nature
The current regulatory mosaic is their legacy. Tetsuya Ishii, a bioethicist at Hokkaido University in Sapporo, Japan, spent nearly a year analysing relevant legislation and guidelines in 39 countries, and found that 29 have rules that could be interpreted as restricting genome editing for clinical use (M. Araki and T. Ishii Reprod. Biol. Endocrinol. 12, 108; 2014). But the 'bans' in several of these countries — including Japan, China and India — are not legally binding., [Paper] - 「ゲノム編集」で１．５倍の大きさの魚に
29 Jul. 2015
NHK
ニュース７
専門家「問題引き起こす可能性も」
ゲノム編集の技術について、生命倫理に詳しい北海道大学の石井哲也教授は「ゲノム編集の技術を使えば、いろんな作物でも動物でも、ひいては人間でも、遺伝子を改変して短期間に狙ったものを作れるので、遺伝子工学を格段に進歩させた社会に大きなインパクトをもたらす技術だと言える。ただ、世界に対して恩恵をもたらすだけでなく問題を引き起こす可能性もある。ゲノム編集で作られた食料を一般の人たちが受け入れるのかどうかのコミュニケーションや、ヒトを対象にした応用がどのような研究なら認められるのかなどの議論やルール作りが必要な時期に来ている」と指摘しています。, [Media report] - 「ゲノム編集」妥当性議論を
16 Jul. 2015
毎日新聞
発言, 遺伝子を自在に改変する「ゲノム編集」という技術をめぐり動きが起きている。米オバマ政権は５月２６日、ヒト受精卵に用いて改変すべきではないとの見解を発表した。・・・, [Paper] - Super-muscly pigs created by small genetic tweak
30 Jun. 2015
NPG
Nature
But Tetsuya Ishii, who studies international biotechnology regulation at the Hokkaido University in Sapporo, Japan, and who has done an international comparison on GM regulations, says that gene editing will raise increasing alarm as it progresses in animals.
Kim hopes to market the edited pig sperm to farmers in China, where demand for pork is on the rise. The regulatory climate there may favour his plan. China is investing heavily in gene editing and historically has a lax regulatory system, says Ishii. Regulators will be cautious, he says, but some might exempt genetic engineering that does not involve gene transfer from strict regulations., [Paper] - ゲノム編集 生命の設計図を自在に操作 広がる応用、倫理面で議論も
22 Jun. 2015
産経新聞
ただ、新しい技術のため「利用に関する世界的なガイドラインが確立しておらず、日本では議論もほとんどなかった」と北海道大の石井哲也教授（生命倫理学）は話す。, [Paper] - 研究者以外とも広く議論を ゲノム編集技術で北大教授
13 Jun. 2015
共同通信
４７ニュース
生物の遺伝子を効率よく改変できる「ゲノム編集」という技術が人間の受精卵や精子、卵子に応用可能な水準に発展する前に、研究者だけでなく一般の人も巻き込んで技術の使い道に関する幅広い議論を始める必要があるとの意見を、北海道大の石井哲也教授（生命倫理学）が１３日、分子医学の米専門誌に発表した。
ゲノム編集は、中国のチームが４月、人間の受精卵の遺伝子改変に使って注目を集めた。遺伝子変異で起きる血液疾患の発症予防の可能性を探ったものだが、失敗が多く、応用は遠いとされた。
石井教授は「近い将来、技術は臨床応用の水準に達する可能性がある」との見方を示した。, [Paper] - 卵子のもと移して若返り？ 米企業が赤ちゃん誕生と発表
11 May 2015
朝日新聞
朝刊20面
北海道大の石井哲也教授（生命倫理学）は、今回の手法は、効果や安全性に関する科学的な裏付けが欠けていると指摘する。「生まれてきた子どもへの長期的な影響も懸念され、認める場合でも臨床試験で慎重に行うべきものだ。安易に取り入れるクリニックが日本でも出てくれば大きな問題になるだろう」と話す。, [Paper] - Embryo engineering study splits scientific community
01 May 2015
Science
News in depth
The project was reviewed by a medical
ethics board at Huang’s university and
complied with international and national
ethical standards, according
to the paper. The researchers
used abnormal zygotes
that were not viable because
they had an extra set of chromosomes
as a result of being
fertilized by two sperm
and would have otherwise
been discarded. “They did
the research ethically,” says
Tetsuya Ishii of Hokkaido
University in Sapporo, Japan,
who studies ethical issues
surrounding genome editing., [Paper] - Embryo editing sparks epic debate
29 Apr. 2015
Nature
News in Focus
Because the embryos Huang’s team used were initially created for in vitro fertilization, not for research, the work would already have overcome many of the ethical hurdles it would face in other countries too, adds Tetsuya Ishii, who studies bioethics and policy at the University of Hokkaido in Sapporo, Japan., [Paper] - ゲノム編集」品種改良に革命 遺伝子、思い通りに操る 規制の是非議論必要
10 Apr. 2015
日本経済新聞 朝刊
生活面, 北海道大学教授の石井哲也さんは「国民に分かる形で、規制の必要性や必要な枠組みなどについて話し合う時期に来ている」と指摘する。, [Paper] - Human embryos genetically altered for the first time
14 Mar. 2015
The Times
Science by Tom Whipple Science Editor, Tetsuya Ishii, a bioethicist at Hokkaido University, described this week’s news as “very worrisome”. He has conducted a review of global regulations and found that out of 39 of the top scientific nations, ten did not have guidelines that banned the practice. This included the US, where laboratories are able to apply for a licence., [Paper] - Scientists sound alarm over DNA editing of human embryos
12 Mar. 2015
Nature
Nature News by David Cyranoski, Ishii worries about countries such as the United States: there, germline editing is not banned but requires government approval, but such restrictions have a history of being circumvented, as in the case of unproven stem-cell treatments. He is also concerned about China, which prohibits gene-editing of embryos but does not strictly enforce similar rules, as shown by failed attempts to curb the use of ultrasound for sex selection and to stamp out unauthorized stem-cell clinics. China is also where gene-editing techniques in primates have developed fastest. “There are already a lot of dodgy fertility clinics around the world,” he says., [Paper] - 規制外の遺伝子改変技術、コメなどで研究進む 北大調査
26 Feb. 2015
日経新聞
規制の対象から外れている新しい遺伝子改変技術を使った作物の研究がコメなどで進んでいることが、北海道大の石井哲也特任准教授らが実施した26日までの調査で分かった。
新技術は品種改良の効率が高い一方で、遺伝子を改変した痕跡が残らないため検査が難しい。食品としての安全性や生態系への影響は不明な点も多く、規制すべきかどうかの議論が必要としている。
研究成果は、26日に植物科学の専門誌「トレンド・イン・プラント・サイエンス」（電子版）に掲載した。
研究が進むのは「ゲノム編集」と呼ばれる技術。遺伝子を形作るＤＮＡの塩基を一部変えるだけで有用な品種を生み出す。規制がある遺伝子組み換え技術のように遺伝子そのものを外部から入れないため、生態系などの保護を定めたカルタヘナ議定書などが定めた規制の対象にならない。
過去10年間に新技術を使った作物を発表した13件の論文について、石井特任准教授らが調べたところ、研究対象としてはコメが５件と最も多かった。
食品として販売されたケースは確認されていないが、石井特任准教授は「規制の有無や仕方について早急に議論を進める時期だ」と指摘している。, [Paper] - 英、卵子の核移植合法化…「３人の親」遺伝子受け継ぐ赤ちゃん生まれる？
26 Feb. 2015
読売新聞
石井哲也・北海道大特任准教授（生命倫理）は「核移植に英国が法的なお墨付きを与えたことは、日本にも影響を及ぼす。しかし、治療のために正常な受精卵を壊していいのかなど倫理面で十分な議論が必要だ」と話している。, [Paper] - 時間かけ議論を
18 Feb. 2015
北海道新聞
朝刊記事：着床前スクリーニング新年度に臨床研究
[Paper] - My comment in Nature News" World hails UK vote on three-person embryos"
12 Feb. 2015
Nature
Nature 518, 145–146 (12 February 2015) doi:10.1038/518145a
The United Kingdom was one of the few countries that explicitly banned mitochondrial replacement by law. In many countries, including China and Japan, the techniques are prevented by regulations that should be simpler to overturn, without legislative intervention, says Tetsuya Ishii, a bioethicist at Hokkaido University in Japan., [Paper] - World hails UK vote on three-person embryos
10 Feb. 2015
Nature
Nature News by Ewen Callaway, The United Kingdom was one of the few countries that explicitly banned mitochondrial replacement by law. In many countries, including China and Japan, the techniques are prevented by regulations that should be simpler to overturn, without legislative intervention, says Tetsuya Ishii, a bioethicist at Hokkaido University in Japan., [Paper] - 生命と科学 開かれた市民対話育もう 石井哲也、大津珠子
07 Feb. 2015
朝日新聞
朝日新聞朝刊（私の視点）
体外受精でつくられた受精卵の染色体をすべて調べる「着床前スクリーニング」と呼ぶ臨床研究を日本産科婦人科学会が始めることを決めた。染色体に異常があると流産や先天的な病気を持つ子が生まれる懸念がある。そこで、受精卵の染色体のすべてを調べて、異常がなかった受精卵だけを子宮に戻そうという試みだ。
今回の臨床研究では、コンピューター解析の手法を採用するなど精度が高まり、検査対象も拡大するという。妊娠の可能性を高め、流産を減らす効果が見込まれるならば、体外受精だけでは子供を授かりにくかった夫婦に朗報となるかもしれない。
だが、２０１３年から始まり、妊婦の血液を調べて胎児の先天的な異常の有無を調べる「新型出生前検査」では、血液検査で陽性となった女性の一部で最終的な羊水検査を受けずに中絶する事例があった。検査の仕組みはなお十分に理解されていない。異常が見つかった妊婦の心身のケアといった問題も残ったままだ。
このように胎児への検査でも課題が残るのに、着床前スクリーニングの研究対象は体外受精で作った受精卵である。かねて「障がい者への差別意識を助長する」「生命への介入、選別は許されない」といった批判もあるなか、生命の萌芽（ほうが）へのさらなる介入や選別に歯止めがかからなくなる恐れはないか。生命倫理への配慮が失われることにならないのか。
生命科学の研究は急速に進んでいる。英国では、異常がある受精卵の一部を取り出し、健康な第三者の卵子と精子から作った受精卵と置き換える移植術を認める法案が下院で可決された。これが認められると、３人の遺伝情報を受け継ぐ子が生まれることにもなる。
今必要なのは不妊、流産に苦しむ夫婦の気持ちに配慮し、こうした研究が社会にもたらす意味をバランスよく考える専門家と市民、そして市民同士での対話だろう。
北海道大学の科学技術コミュニケーション教育研究部門は、専門家と市民が科学技術を気軽に話し合える「サイエンスカフェ札幌」を０５年から８０回開いている。このカフェで昨年１０月、生殖補助医療の研究最前線を紹介した後、参加した６０人に「胎児の染色体や遺伝子の異常を調べる検査を受け入れるか」と尋ねると、２割以上が「分からない」と答えた。
「生命の誕生に科学はどこまで介入できるか」という問いに、市民は真剣に考えている。「分からない」とする市民感覚を軽んじてはいけない。学問の世界での議論にとどまらない開かれた対話を今後も大切に育むべきである。
（いしいてつや 北海道大学特任准教授〈生命倫理学〉／おおつしゅこ 北海道大学特任准教授〈科学技術コミュニケーション〉）, [Paper] - 新聞記事「命の重さを考えてー出生前診断に懸念」コメント掲載
24 Dec. 2013
北海道新聞
北海道新聞 夕刊
[Paper]
