Background: From an epidemiological perspective, the practice of universal vaccination of girls and young women in order to prevent human papilloma virus (HPV) infection and potential development of cervical cancer is widely accepted even though it may lead to the neglect of other preventive strategies against cervical cancer. Discussion: It is argued that removing the deterrent effect – the fear of developing cancer – could encourage teenage sex. This paper reflects on the ethical legitimacy of the universal vaccination of girls and young women against HPV infection, especially regarding safety issues, the need to vaccinate people who have opted to abstain from sex, the presumption of early onset of sexual relations, the commercial interests of the companies that manufacture the vaccine, and the recommendation of universal vaccination in males. Summary: Based on the aforementioned information, we believe that the universal vaccination against HPV in young women is acceptable from an ethical point of view, given the medical advantages it presents.

¿Publicar y/o morir? El fraude en la investigación y las publicaciones científicas

Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) (cloning), as a reproductive or therapeutic method, and mitochondrial DNA transfer, as a method to prevent the transmission of mitochondrial diseases, are analyzed in this paper from a bioethics perspective. The licit purpose of being able to treat certain diseases, as in the case of SCNT, cannot justify, in any case, resorting to illicit means such as the manipulation, selection, and elimination of human embryos in the blastocyst phase, by using cell lines obtained from them. Crossing this line paves the way (as utilitarian ethics advocates) to assuming any cost in scientific experimentation so long as satisfactory results are obtained. With mitochondrial replacement, either human embryos are directly manipulated (pronuclear transfer) or germline cells are manipulated (maternal spindle transfer); changes in these could be transmitted to the offspring. Lay Summary: This article analyzes somatic cell nuclear transfer (cloning) and mitochondrial DNA transfer techniques, in both reproductive and therapeutic applications, and preventive methods in the transmission of mitochondrial diseases, from a bioethical perspective. The manipulation, selection, and elimination of human embryos delimits the ethical acceptability of these promising techniques.