Comparing public discourses in stem cell policy debates
Lysaght, T.
Journal of Law and Medicine 14(4): 575-582
2007
ISSN/ISBN: 1320-159X PMID: 17571787 Document Number: 612890
Public policy debates surrounding stem cell research are becoming increasingly more complex as governance considerations move beyond the moral status of human embryos. This complexity is evident in the public discourses surrounding these debates globally. This article draws on the results of an analysis conducted on the media coverage of a recent stem cell policy episode in the United States to demonstrate the complexity of public discourses surrounding stem cell research and to reflect upon similar debates in Australia. Observations made from the public discourses in California are reframed within the Australian context to discuss ways in which future public policy debates surrounding stem cell research may be enriched.