ABSTRACT
The technique of culturing or cloning antibodies was developed in the late 1970s. It involves injecting a mouse or other type of animal with a particular allergen, i.e. the mouse is immunised and a range of antibody-producing cells is triggered as a result. These antibody-producing cells normally die after a few divisions, so are not useful for producing large quantities of antibodies. It might seem reasonable for a doctor to offer a treatment of unproven efficacy to a sick person with a limited life span in exchange for a possible recovery or a better quality of life. Is there a compromise between medical progress and human costs? One might suggest that if individuals are unwilling to make sacrifices, progress in medical research could be seriously jeopardised and more people will suffer in the long term. The chapter discusses the limits of medicine and medical research and the role of the public in shaping progress.
