Survey of Japanese researchers and the public regarding the culture of human embryos in vitro beyond 14 days.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Cross-sectional survey (graded by design analogy, non-clinical)
PubMed 36963386 · doi:10.1016/j.stemcr.2023.02.005
What was done
A cross-sectional survey was conducted among Japanese stem cell and embryo researchers (n = 535) and members of the general public (n = 3,000) to evaluate attitudes toward culturing human embryos in vitro beyond 14 days after the updated 2021 ISSCR guidelines.
What was found
Culturing embryos beyond 14 days was supported by 46.2% of researchers and 37.9% of the public. Among participants who disagreed with culturing beyond 14 days, 9.5% of researchers and 5.1% of the public supported culturing within 14 days. Higher comprehension levels among the public were correlated with having a definitive opinion (agree or disagree) versus selecting "cannot judge."
Why it matters
It benchmarks researcher and public sentiment in Japan on relaxing the 14-day limit for human embryo research, showing that fewer than half of respondents in either group support extending the limit.
Limits
The abstract describes a cross-sectional self-report design in a single country without reporting response rates, sampling frames, statistical test values, or confidence intervals.
Cited by
- context There is a regulatory restriction prohibiting human embryos from being cultured in vitro past 14 days of development.