Public attitudes in Japan toward the creation and use of gametes derived from human-induced pluripotent stem cells

Abstract

Aim: To ascertain to what extent the Japanese general public accept the creation and use of in vitro derived (IVD)-gametes derived from human-induced pluripotent stem cells. Materials & methods: We conducted an online survey and obtained answers from 3096 respondents. Results: 78.6% of the respondents answered that they would accept the creation and use of IVD-gametes for research purposes, 51.7% answered that they would accept the creation and use of embryos with IVD-gametes for research purposes, and 25.9% answered that they would accept childbirth using embryos with IVD-gametes. Discussion: The results that approximately half of the respondents answered that they would accept the creation of embryos with IVD-gametes, which has not been allowed in the current Japanese research guidelines, is astonishing.