Abstract

REDONDO-GARCIA, Antonio. The 14-day rule under debate: a critical analysis from Bioethics. Rev. Bioética y Derecho [online]. 2022, n.54, pp.103-119.  Epub Dec 12, 2022. ISSN 1886-5887.  https://dx.doi.org/10.1344/rbd2021.54.35556.

The aim of this article is to critically analyze the arguments used in defense of the 14-day rule, which refers to research and experimentation with human embryos. This rule was first proposed more than forty years ago, and many countries have adopted it and included it in their respective legislation. However, after four decades, science today demands an international debate in which the limit imposed by the rule is urgently reviewed, which makes it impossible for scientists to be able to investigate with embryos created in the laboratory beyond the 14 days limit. To this end, we will examine two fundamental texts in which the rule originated, analyzing from bioethics whether the arguments contained in them are coherent and whether they can currently be sustained. In addition, we will consider to the reasons offered by science for its extension, bearing in mind that any change in the rule must always correspond to the values present in society at the time.

Keywords : 14-day rule; embryo; human being; potentiality; gastrulation; bioethics.

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