7 January 2008

Bioethics in Science and Technology Development In Indonesia

Bioethical issues have become an increasing focus of publics attention since recent years, with debate continuing to rage over issues including genetic modification, ainmal/human cloning, and even ‘designer babies’. The Asian Bioethics Association (ABA) Constitution (2002) on Article 2 stated that “Bioethics is an interdisciplinary study of philosophical, ethical, social, legal, economic, medical, therapeutic, ethnological, religious, environmental, and their ralated issues arising from biological sciences and technologies, and their applications in human society and biosphere.” Most important is that the principles of bioethics must be agreed by all scientists, community, people and individual concerned, because bioethics is expected to be used as guideline for scientists in performing research, development, and application of science and technology.

Inclusion of human responsibility to other living organisms and protection of environment, biosphere and biodiversity has made the UDBHR (Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights) a comprehensive bioethics document, since it concerns not only with human beings but also with other forms of living organisms. The UDBHR includes also 15 principles of bioethics related to: (1) Human Dignity and Human Rights; (2) Benefit and Harm; (3) Autonomy and Individual Responsibility; (4) Consent; (5) Persons without the capacity to consent; (6) Respect for Human Vulnerability and Personal Integrity; (7) Privacy and Confidentiality; (8) Equality, Justice and Equality; (9) Non Discrimination and Non Stigmatization; (10) Respect for Cultural Diversity and Pluralism; (11) Solidarity and Cooperation; (12) Social Reponsibility and Health; (13) Sharing of Benefits; (14) Protecting Future Generations; (15) Protection of the Environment, the Biosphere and Biodiversity.

Three major issues on medical biotrechnology are stem cell experiment, human cloning technology and organ transplantation, which have been discussed intensively by researchers and also the public media. Embryonic Stem Cell (ESC) experiment, for example, is a much debated issue in biosciences research. Some people argue that ESC experiment has the potential to treat disease and relieve suffering, to justify research across a whole range of possible sources of stem cells including embryo. Moslems, for instance, believe that soul wil be entered to fetus only after 120 days old. They suggest that fetus younger than 120 days could not be regarded as human beings. Following this belief, there appears to be acceptable to use fetus in those range of ages for medical research purposes. Fortunately, researchers show that in the future, it will be possible to re-program Adult Stem Cells (ASC) with the full potential of ESC, without morally contestable need to create an embryo.

Bioethical Issues on Animal Biotechnology
The main issue of animal biotechnology is asociated with experiments to make Genetically Modified (GM) Organisms, which should also comply with bioethics principles. An interesting illustration is the use of bovine somatotrophin (bST) hormone on cattle for stimulating their milk production. The hormone bST is produced by recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology in Escherichia coli, and was in fact the first GM product to be used in animal agriculture. By injecting cows with bST every two weeks, farmers can expect an average increae in milk yield of 12-15%; and although slight changes in nutrient content can be produced, their overall concentrations in bulked milk are probably unaffected. However, because higher metabolic demands may lead to increased rate of illness, there is an increased risk that the welfare of injected cattle will be diminished. The treatment also leads to an increased in milk concentration of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), which is a potent mitogen. If the increased milk concentration on IGF-1 was physiologically significant and if it were to remain biologically active at the level of the gut mucosa, it might pose a public health threat to people consuming the milk or dairy products. On the other hand, is it ethical to make GM cattle which are endangering their own wefare?

Bioethical Issues in ood and Agriculture
The Food trap is the other evidence to support the importance of bioethical issues in biosciences research. The food trap points out to the trap of being net importing country for agricultural products, like Indonesia. Indonesia is the second largest sugar importing country and also for wheat, grandparent stock of chicken, and milk. Because of its dependence to international markets, Indonesian food systems faced some problems such as availability and sustainability of the local or indigenous agricultural products. Moreover, the issue of transgenic food in agricultural products has also arisen in this country.

Indonesian Standpoints on Some Bioethical Issues
Indonesia’s perspective of bioethical issues has been examined by the Indonesian National Bioethics Commision (INBC), established on the 17 September 2004 by a Joint Declaration between the State Minster of Research and Technology, Minister of Health and Minister of Agriculture. The INBC has concluded that stem cells research, development and its application in Indonesia are important to be encouraged. Setting up bioethical policies and regulations are essential, by observing the universal bioethics principles and intenationally acceptable rules as the guide for Indonesia’s policies development.

The second main issue concerns with Genetic Resources, subtances found in every living organism including animals, plants, microbes whether they are terrestrial or marine based. These genetic resources regulate specific nature and mortality of these organisms, and can be transmitted to their decendants, and also a part of the biodiversity known as germplasms.

There are five issues of bioethical on genetic resources including accessibility and utility of the resources, traditional knowledge, biodiversity, biosphere and environment. Therefore, managing the genetic resources of Indonesia has to be based on national interests and regulated according to national regulations. International conventions or declarations, such as the CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity), the Manilla Declaration Concerning Utilization of Biological Resources, and the UNESCO Declarations, such as Universal Declaration on Human Genome and Human Rights (UDHGHR), International Declaration on Human Genetic Data (IDHGD), and also Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights (UBHR), are already ratified or acknowledged.

The case of transgenic Bt Cotton is one example of GM crop practices in Indonesia The introduction of Bt Cotton to the farmes, however, has threatened local variety of common seeds in South Sulawesi. Unfortunately, no accurate information of the risk of Bt Cotton has been disseminated to the farmers. Learning from the GM crops problems, INBC highly recommends to ensure the protection of local variety seeds and to ensure the safety and availability of transgenic seeds. It is reommended to develop science and technology to increase the availability of agricultural products as well as to meet food safety requirement. There is also a need to ensure the protection of local or indigenous variety of agricultural products or food.

A key strategy for sucessful implementation of bioethics principles is to strengthen national capacity and to improve cooperation between scientists and scientific institution, as well as between the scientific community and the industrial community, under the guidance and coordinaton from the government. This type of three parties’ collaboration is well known as the ‘triple helix of ABG’ (academicians, business sectors, and government bodies). Harmonization and integration of bioethics principles into research, development, and application o S&T activities would ensure the achievement of sustainable human development.

Harmony with Nature is a must!
If we did wrong, then Nature would be destroyed
In order to sustain Nature, it must be treated in an appropriate manner,
in order words, we have to live in harmony with Nature.
It can be done, by using good ethical guidelines.

Yogyakarta, 3 November 2008
State Minister for Research and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia,
Kusmayanto Kadiman