This project aimed to encourage consideration about how socio-ethical values are or could be translated into legal rules. It examined the conduct and motivating values of Argentine stakeholders as they struggle with the moral and other controversies surrounding stem cell research (SCR), and endeavour to formulate socially acceptable regulatory structures. The Project (1) maps the Argentine scientific and regulatory setting, (2) reveals the multiple goals envisioned for regulation and uncovers moral values held by stakeholders, including scientists and regulators, (3) theorises how science regulation and science communication could be improved in Argentina, and (4) contributes to debates surrounding and formulation of value-sensitive regulatory models in Argentina and beyond by engaging with stakeholders on an ongoing basis. For data collection, this project used 22 semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with individuals chosen from the medical, scientific, academic, policy, legislative and regulatory communities in Argentina (e.g. the investigators interviewed at least one, but often multiple, respondents from each of the following categories: cabinet level politician; national congressional member; national regulatory agency member; national advisory committee member; medical clinician, medical researcher, basic scientist, ethicist, academic lawyer). These interviews were translated and transcribed. The interviews, probed the respondents’ understanding of the scientific and regulatory situation in Argentina, queried their ambitions for regulation (ie: what they felt regulation of regenerative medicine should address and how regulation might be structured), and questioned what values they thought should govern the field and its regulation, including the source of core values. Respondents addressed concerns about the state of public knowledge of science in Argentina, the need for better engagement across different stakeholder groups in Argentina, and the need to discuss and better vindicate core values, of which approximately a dozen were identified.Within the context of a case study on the regulation of biotechnology in Argentina, with special emphasis on the governance of stem cells from sourcing to storing to commercialising research outputs, this Project examines how social and ethical values are, and can be, translated into legal rules (themselves deployed as social shaping tools insofar as they guide/promote socially significant research). It will examine the conduct and motivating values of Argentine stakeholders as they struggle with the moral and other controversies surrounding these regulatory subjects and endeavour to formulate socially acceptable regulatory structures applicable thereto. Objectives include mapping the most salient features of the social/moral/legal debates, developing dialogues with stakeholders to reveal the multiple goals envisioned for regulation, and contributing to the debate surrounding and formulation of value-sensitive regulatory models. It is expected that the Project will (1) highlight the importance of values to the legitimacy and quality of regulation, (2) explore those values with individuals operating in this arena, and (3) identify opportunities to translate values into effective regulation within this developing economy. However, given that Argentina has ambitions to become a regional leader, both scientifically and regulatorily, findings and benefits may not be limited to Argentina.

22 semi-structured interviews were carried out face-to-face with stakeholders in SCR in Argentina. Purposive selection was used to choose participants from the medical, scientific, academic, policy, legislative and regulatory communities. This was a cross-sectional one-time study.