Abstract

Objective: The study was designed to substantiate the obligations to the human embryo that can be established from the standpoint of autonomy, by showing the human embryo to be a subject of rights. Materials and Methods: Documentary research was done, supplemented with content from in-depth interviews conducted with a team of leading experts in medicine, law and philosophy. A script was used as a research tool, but with the freedom to expand on some of the issues with new questions suggested by the person being interviewed or by the research team, as relevant to each interview. Results: Eight experts were interviewed: two in medicine, three in rights and three in philosophy. The interviews clearly showed there is an objective basis for the human rights of the embryo, which now are being violated by so-called legal abortion, through decriminalization via exceptions and decriminaliza-tion based on terms. Conclusion: We live in a society that has lost sight of the very foundation of common sense when it comes to protecting the unborn, especially in its embryonic stage, appealing to the bioethical principles of dignity, integrity and vulnerability.