Beyond consciousness: Ethical, legal, and social issues in human brain organoid research and application.

This study aims to provide a comprehensive review of the ethical, legal and social issues in human brain organoid research, with a view to different types of research and applications: in vitro research, transplantation into non-human animals, and biocomputing. Despite the academic and societal attention on the possibility that human brain organoids may be conscious, we have identified diverse issues in human brain organoid research and applications. To guide the complex terrain of human brain organoid research and applications, a multidisciplinary approach that integrates ethical, legal, and social perspectives is essential.
Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: JS 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. JS is a Bioethics Committee consultant for Bayer and a Bioethics Advisor for the Hevolution Foundation. Other authors declare no conflict of interest.
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