Navigating ethical problems of commercialization: towards inclusive organoid research

Organoids are three-dimensional, self-organizing cell structures grown from human biospecimens that allow researchers to study development, disease, and drug responses. Organoid technology holds promise for precision medicine, as it can tailor therapies to specific individuals. Including diverse groups within organoid research is essential to collect representative data for the development of treatments for all populations and to reduce health disparities. Commercial parties are increasingly involved in organoid research. The involvement of such parties can negatively affect the ways in which underrepresented groups are included and recruited and can affect their willingness to donate their biospecimen. In this paper, we argue that commercial involvement in organoid research poses three problems that can hinder the equal representation of groups or the equitable access to treatments derived from organoid research. First, commercially driven organoid research presents challenges to the informed consent process. Second, commercial involvement can undermine trust among underrepresented groups and reduce their willingness to donate biospecimens. Third, benefit sharing becomes ethically more complex when profits are generated and underrepresented groups are involved. Therefore, researchers and commercial parties should actively address these challenges by (re)establishing trust, using transparent and inclusive communication, ensuring ongoing reciprocity, and uphold shared responsibility.