As implicações das pesquisas com células-tronco e sua relação com a dignidade da pessoa humana

Abstract

This work brings, in a succinct and illuminating way, a study about stem cells and human dignity, which focuses the relationship between the Biosafety Law, Law No. 11.105, sanctioned by the President on March 24th, 2005. It evokes several questions and problems, mainly concerning the constitutionality of article 5th and the permission to use embryos in research. It was necessary to carry out a satisfactory analysis of the institute on human dignity, meaning, dignity and fundamental human rights and their respective generations, its concept, its historical background and their constitutional vision. In another moment, it is made a closer study about the research and experimentation based on totipotent (or pluripotent) embryonic stem cells, i.e., the cells with the capacity to become any tissue. Meanwhile, an approach was made about new studies with stem cells of other tissues in the body and the possibility of a greater use of them and thus continue to promote the science progress and the search of the cure of many diseases without infringe the right to life of the embryos used in these studies. Finally, we go through various discussions held in the Supreme Court in which they discussed the possibility of a so-called "reification of embryonic human beings." This situation has been targeted by a fierce criticism, as the scientific progress, nowadays, has to respect one of the fundamental principles of our.