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Social Responsibility in Stem Cell Research - Is the News All Bad?

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Abstract

Transparent public discourse about translational stem cell research promotes informed hope about scientific progress and the sustainable development of biotechnologies. Using an a priori coding scheme, we surveyed articles from leading news media about stem cell interventions for neurodegenerative diseases (1991–2014) from United States (n = 83), Canada (n = 29), and United Kingdom (n = 65). While, this analysis of translational contexts in the news demonstrates a lingering tendency to celebrate the benefits of research with little context of its caveats even for chronic neurologic diseases, in a departure from many previous studies, the data also reveal conscientious reporting about stem cell tourism and timeframe estimates for the development of relevant therapeutics.

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Acknowledgments

Stem Cell Network Canada (Public Policy Grant 13/5226 awarded to JI; Social Sciences Summer Studentship awarded to CL), Canadian Institutes of Health Research (INV-126709 awarded to Dr. Anthony Traboulsee), Multiple Sclerosis Society of Vernon (awarded to Dr. Anthony Traboulsee) and University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine (Public Scholars Award, Faculty of Medicine Graduate Scholarship and Millie and Ralph Drabinsky Graduate Scholarship in Medicine awarded to SB). Judy Illes is Canada Research Chair in Neuroethics. We thank Dr. Julie Robillard, Dr. Kalina Kamenova, and Dr. Tania Bubela for valuable advice on methods. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

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  1. National Core for Neuroethics, Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, 2211 Wesbrook Mall, Koerner S124, Vancouver, BC, V6T 2B5, Canada

    Shelly Benjaminy, Cody Lo & Judy Illes

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  1. Shelly Benjaminy
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  2. Cody Lo
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  3. Judy Illes
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Correspondence to Judy Illes.

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Benjaminy, S., Lo, C. & Illes, J. Social Responsibility in Stem Cell Research - Is the News All Bad?. Stem Cell Rev and Rep 12, 269–275 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12015-016-9646-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12015-016-9646-8

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