因醫學與生物科技技術之突飛猛進，發明或發現新方式，以減輕人類以往幾乎不可能痊癒之病痛或醫療問題，如以人工受精方式孕育胎兒，再生組織工程植皮等等，而遭強烈道德性懷疑之幹細胞與複製器官研究，反對者認為科學研究操縱自然法則時，倫理及法律疑義也因應而生，最具爭議者莫過於與「人命」或「生命」界定之相關問題，人得否容許複製人？該不該以基因療法治癒病患？尤有甚者是否得以基因改良「人種」？科學家能不能為研究而摧毀胚胎？胚胎是否為「人」？甚至科學家得否為研究而製造或複製胚胎？此類問題背後，不僅屬倫理問題，更關乎病患追求生存權利，本文將就此深入探討。
Since genetic engineering and molecular biology have been developed rapidly, how to properly restrict stem cell's use has been an important law issue between ethic and saving lives: Can we consider an embryo as a human? Can we destroy an embryo in order to cure a disease? This paper introduces different kind of stem cell nowadays, including the most important breakthrough in this field -induced pluripotent stem cells -which may be the solution of the stem cell issue dilemma.We also introduce and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the stem cell-related laws in different countries, including U.S.A, German, England, Japan and our nation. Furthermore, this paper tries to combine the cell reprogramming technology, which is a great improvement in stem cell fields, and different prospects of stem cells to propose a reasonable advice to legislation.
