Increased interest in brain organoid research
] and media attention, arousing public interest.
]. Such public interest encourages public participation in discussions about the ethical issues related to human brain organoids, which is of great importance. However, another study revealed that media discussions of human brain organoids tend to drift away from the research itself [
]. This concern has been raised briefly in the past [
].
]. Although we acknowledge that providing value-neutral and accurate information alone is insufficient for effective public engagement with human brain organoid research [
], we contend that it is nonetheless crucial for scientists, ethicists, and the media to ensure accurate representation of the research in the public domain.
The possibility of consciousness
One of the common concerns regarding brain organoids is the possibility that they are conscious. This concern is important and needs to be addressed appropriately in line with advances in brain organoid research. To this end, it is vital to precisely assess the feasibility at each point in time. However, the possibility of brain organoids having consciousness appears to have been unduly exaggerated by the two types of discourse.
]. These headlines suggest that miniature versions of full infant or Neanderthal brains have been created.
].
The word ‘see’ of course could have several meanings in this context. It could mean react to light in terms of neuronal firing or it could mean perceive visual objects, which presupposes a conscious entity to perceive. However, this second possibility is contrary to the view held by most scientists working in this field, that something as simple as current organoids could not support consciousness as evidenced by the 2021 guidelines of the International Society for Stem Cell Research.
], but such nuanced views are rarely to be found outside professional ethics papers.
,
]. Cognitive psychology research has also shown that attempting to provide value-neutral information about technologies with little known risk can polarize risk perceptions between people with contrasting worldviews [
]. Therefore, brain organoid research that is related to the abovementioned concerns will require more careful reporting to encourage constructive public engagement.
Medical applications
]. For instance, very few media articles acknowledge the potential transplantation of brain organoids into human brains [
].
].
As brain organoid technology improves, there is a possibility they will resemble the full human brain and have wide utility in the study of neurological disease. However, this development poses ethical dilemmas regarding consciousness. Disregarding these intricacies and proposing that human brain organoids could have medical potential for various diseases comes with a risk: if these ambitious projections are not fulfilled, it could lead to a loss of public trust.
]. Such a conflict could be mitigated, if not avoided, by more careful use of language and accompanying graphics.
Concluding remarks
]. Further empirical research on citizens’ concerns and communication reflecting them is required.
In stem cell research and therapy, disconnections between the actual research and its public reception have resulted in serious problems, from various instances of research misconduct to increases in global medical tourism, that is, receipt of (often unapproved) stem cell therapies that are not yet regulated. Fortunately, research into human brain organoids is still at an early stage, meaning that now is a crucial time for learning from such previous mistakes.
Acknowledgments
T.S. was funded in whole, or in part, by Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) (grant number JP21wm0425021), JST-Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society (RISTEX) (grant number JPMJRS22J4), Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) KAKENHI (grant number 21K12908), Mitsubishi Foundation, and Uehiro Foundation on Ethics and Education (grant number UEHIRO2022-0101). C.G. and J.S., through their involvement with the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, received funding through from the Victorian State Government through the Operational Infrastructure Support (OIS) Program. This research was funded in whole, or in part, by the Wellcome Trust (grant number WT203132/Z/16/Z). For the purpose of open access, the authors have applied a CC BY public copyright license to any Author Accepted Manuscript version arising from this submission.
Declaration of interests
J.S. is a partner investigator on an Australian Research Council grant LP190100841, which involves industry partnership from Illumina. He does not personally receive any funds from Illumina. J.S. is a Bioethics Committee consultant for Bayer. The other authors have no interests to declare.
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