Use of embryos for research

17-10-2000 | IslamWeb

Question:

Is it permissable to donate unused embryos during infertility treatments to be used in Embryonic stem cell research? These procedures are to cure diseas such as alzheimers and parkinsons, as well as aid in the cure of damaged spinal cords. Would the use of embryonic stem cells be permissable? Would it be permissable to donate unused embryos?2-

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Answer:

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.
External artificial insemination or what is called a test-tube baby consists of taking the spermatozoid from the husband and the ovule from the wife and fertilize them in a tube before returning this fecundated ovule into the woman's uterus.
In this situation, there might be a surplus of fecundated ovules (embryos) which some scientists believe could be used for other purpose. Here are some of their beliefs and their verdicts:
1. They could be given to another woman who needs them. This is strictly prohibited as it leads to the mixing of the human lineage by placing foreign semen into a woman's womb.
2. These embryos could be used in scientific research in the following fields:
A- Research concerning male sterility, and the ability of spermatozoid to fecundate.
B- Study of how to save fecundated ovules intact for future menstruation periods.
C- Study concerning repeated abortion and implantation failure.
D- Use of these embryos in research in birth control to find means to prevent the fecundated ovule from growing or from being in planted in the uterus.
E- Study of genetic diseases as well as cell growth and cell break up.
Muslim scholars differ over the issue of research with embryos; some allow it, others prohibit it.
At the Islamic Vision Conference held in Kuwait, some scholars said that the fecundated ovules should be destroyed to avoid the pervasive acts that could occur due to the preservation these embryos. Other scholars prohibited this because of the prohibition of destroying the human being even if he is still at the stage of one cell:
As for the scholars who permitted this research, they considered the benefits to be derived from such experiments and research, particularly if we know that these fecundated ovules will eventually die if left unattended in the test tube. They also argued that the fecundated ovule is not a living human being as long as it is outside the body, so it is lawful to use it in scientific experimentation or destroy it.
The Fiqh council, a sub-organization of the Islamic conference, passed a Fatwa in 1990 about the unused fecundated ovules. This is the Fatwa:
1. In the light of the great scientific development, which made it possible to preserve the unfecundated ovules for future use, only the needed ovules for plantation should be fecundated for each use as to avoid having a surplus of fecundated ovules.
2. If it happens that there is a surplus of fecundated ovules, this surplus remain without assistance till it dies naturally.
3. It is strictly prohibited to use a fecundated ovule into a foreign woman's womb. All precautions should be taken to ensure that no fecundated ovule is used in an out of wedlock pregnancy. On the other hand, we believe that it is forbidden to donate such ovules for any purpose whatsoever as to turn away any kind of blight, the worst among which is giving such ovules to a different woman, willingly or unwillingly - as this might cause a mixture of lineage. This concerns the owner of the ovule.
As for the doctor and the researcher, who gets some of these ovules, he must be cautious in using them but he is allowed to use them in scientific experiment, above all, if the ovule is for a non-Muslim.
As for using such ovules in medical treatments, organ plantation and treatment of some cells, there is disagreement among scholars over this issue as well.
We believe that one should apply the Fatwa passed by the Islamic Fiqh council, which is under the control of the Islamic conference, No. 58/7/6 and here is its text:
"It is prohibited to use embryos as a source of human organs required to be transplanted in a different person except in some cases with the existence of some obligatory criteria. It is strictly prohibited to cause the abortion of a given embryo in order to use its organs for another person. Indeed the abortion should be limited to the natural abortion and the abortion for a legal reason….".
When the fecundated ovule dies, it is lawful then to use it in treating the spinal cords and others. But we remind you again that it is forbidden to fecundate more ovules than needed for each woman as previously stated.      
Allah knows best.