Many scientific breakthroughs in human embryonic stem cell research have occurred in the
past decade. Such research is beneficial because it has the ability to assist with treatment
and prevention of degenerative diseases. Despite the benefits, the breakthroughs in stem cell
research have also sparked debate in the community about the ethics of destruction of human
embryos used in this research. Prompted by this debate, this paper undertakes an analysis of the
regulatory framework of human stem cell research in Australia, and compares it with practices
in two other common law jurisdictions, the United States and United Kingdom. A discussion
of embryo ethics is undertaken, focusing on issues such as the right to life, paying women to
donate eggs for research and the benefits of human reproductive cloning. The author adopts
the position that regulation of stem cell research in Australia is mostly appropriate. However,
it warrants reform in some respects, specifically paying women to donate eggs, with a view to
facilitating ongoing human embryonic stem cell research.
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