Religiosity, knowledge and levels of approval of stem cell research in Europe

Transcription

1 University of Stuttgart University of Sienna Religiosity, knowledge and levels of approval of stem cell research in Europe Agnes Allansdottir University of Sienna, Italy Jürgen Hampel University of Stuttgart, Germany

2 Stem cell research in the more general context of biomedical applications of biotechnology Is there something special about stem cell research? Other biomedical applications Gene Therapy Pharmacogenetics Dolly and human cloning

3 Fault lines of the public debate on stem cell research in Europe. POLITICS Ethical opposition and regulatory debates on the national level. Religious authorities campaign against human embryo stem cell research Differing regulations in member states of the European Union (UK, Germany) On the European level debate about the funding strategy of the new Framework Programme of Research

4 Regulation in Europe Problem: 7th framework program ( ) A First Plan opted for a general funding of hescresearch A Group of European Countries opted for a strict restriction of the funding of hesc-research to prevent the EU from funding projects which are not legal in some of the because otherwise, the EU would fund projects which are not allowed in some member states of the EU In a compromise, the EU restricted the funding of hesc-projects to projects working with existing stem cell lines and therefore funds research which is not allowed in some member states of the EU.

5 Debate on Stem Cell Research Judging by the strength of the regulatory debate, human embryo stem cell research is a major problem for European Politics. Is human embryo stem cell research a problem of equal importance for the European publics?

6 WHAT DOES THE PUBLIC THINK? Common stereotypes on public opinion: public is emotional, bewildered, irrational and technophobic. What do the data show? How do Europeans evaluate different biomedical applications? Database: Eurobarometer 64.3, 2005 N= respondents in a split ballot

7 The vignettes Gene therapy which involves treating diseases by directly intervening with the genes themselves Pharmacogenitics wich involves analysis a person s genetic code in order to greate drugs which as tailored to him/her and are more effective Stem cell research involves taking human cells either from human embryos that are less than two weeks old that will never be transplanted into a woman s body, or from the blood in umbilical cords. These stem cells can be used to grow new cells to treat certain diseases in any part of the body.

8 Levels of approval for biomedical applications in Europe Pharmacogenetics Approve the use of stem cell research so long as the usual levels of Government regulation are in place Approve the use of stem cell research if it is more tightly regulated Gene Therapy Do not approve except under special circumstances Do not approve under any circumstances Stem cells from human embryos Dk Stem cells from umbilical cords % 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

9 Quelle Surprise! Almost no difference in the approval of stem cells from embryos and from umbilical cords Stem cell research, both from human embryos or from umbilical cords, find more societal approval than pharmacogenetics and genetic therapy.

10 Explanations Is the strong support of stem cell research in Europe a symptom of the dechristianisation of Europe?

11 Religion and Modernisation Modernisation Theory postulates a decline of religion as a consequence of modernisation processes Religion as a substitute of knowledge Religous interpretations are replaced by scientific knowledge Entzauberung der Welt disenchantment of the world (Max Weber) Rationalisation of the Living World (Jürgen Habermas)

12 Religion and biomedical research Appeals to religion a strong characteristic of the policy debate. What is the relationship between religious practices and levels of approval of biomedical research amongst the European public?

13 Approval of biomedical applications and attendance of religious services. Never Sometimes Often atten attends atten Stem cells from embryos Approve ds ds Do not approve DK Stem cells from umbilical cords Approve Do not approve DK Gene therapy Approve Do not approve DK Pharmacogenetics Approve Do not approve DK

14 Sources of Moral Views Non-accessible to individual modification Tradition Religion Rational Thinking (Kant, Rawls) Open Discourse (Diskourse ethics, Habermas) Accessible to individual modification

15 Views on Moral Development Conflicting Views on Moral Development Sociology: Moral views as a result of the internalisation of societal norms (homo sociologicus, G.H. Mead) Biology: Morality a innate component of human identity Developmental Psychology: Stages of Moral Development (Kohlberg 1976) General innate components (like traits) are modified by culture (Haidt & Joseph 2004)

16 Expectations towards stem cell research in Europe: totally disagree tend to disagree dk stem cell research will help with cures and treatments for serious diseases tend to agree totally agree 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

17 Determinants of support of biomedical research: As introduction to the next slide, how we tried to capture the main arguments of the ethics debate in order to explore how those arguments are represented by the general public. What we are exploring is everyday ethical reasoning.

18 ethical positions on stem cell research in europe totally disagree Immediately after fertilisation the embryo can already be considered to be a human being tend to disagree dk tend to agree totally agree ethically wrong to use human embryos in medial research we have duty to allow research that might lead to important new treatments should ethical and scientific viewpoints differm scientific viewpoint should prevail % 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

19 Uncovering an underlying structure: PCA (Principal Components Analysis) yielded two factors (74% of the variance explained) THE FACTORS 1) Utility, quality and allieviation of suffering 2) Sanctity of human life (veneration, purity)

20 Factor I (eigen 1,8 45%) Factor II (eigen 1,12, 28%) We have a duty to allow research even if In controversy, science should prevail over ethics It is wrong to use human embryos for research, even if Embryo a human being from conception.896* * Rotated component matrix (Quartimax)

21 Sanctity of life and Utility Calculate the scores for every individual on both dimensions. Allows for analysis on various levels Allows us to represent in a two dimensional space how countries, social groups and individuals are distributed along those two dimensions.

22 Biomedical applications and ethical principles

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24 European cultural context Clearly some sense in the distribution Orthodox countries highes on sanctity and tend to be high on utility as well Something more

25 New Religious Divide in Europe Strong Difference between the Protestant and the Orthodox countries in relation to the factor sanctity. Europe of the 15 is low on the sanctity factor, while the new accession states are high on this factor

26 The Return of Religion Instead of disappearing, religion plays a increasing role in the world Not only in the third world: Religion is of high importance in the US-american society European Sonderweg (Special Way) New Renaissance of Religion in theoretical thinking (Luhmann, Habermas) But: The renaissance of religion does not mean, that religious organisations will gain importance in the same way.

27 Resonance with recent research on ethical reasoning Cultural anthropology (Scott Atran) Cultural psychology (Shree ) three Haidt and intuitive ethics, something wrong with human embryonic stem cell research (no that is not true more disgusting tampering with humaness ) Gigerenzer smart heuristics

28 NOT A FINAL VERSION

29 NOT A FINAL VERSION

30 Conclusions: Tampering with human identity Study of moral reasoning is decisive for the understanding of support or rejection due to moral reasons Moral reasoning has to be studied on the individual level Ethical experts (hierarchie) cannot speak for the public In the enlarged Europe of the 25, the general differences on values based on religion are larger than in the Europe of the 15. Europe becomes less secular.