Ep 5. Iran: The Stem Cell Fatwa
- June 7, 2009
Iran: The Stem Cell Fatwa is the fifth episode of the eighth season of Frontline World, a documentary show that explores stories from around the globe. In this episode, the show explores the impact of a fatwa, or religious decree, issued by Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which banned the country's scientists from working with embryonic stem cells.
The episode follows the story of Dr. Ali Brivanlou, an Iranian-born stem cell researcher who left Iran to pursue his career in the United States. With the fatwa in place, Brivanlou's former colleagues in Iran are no longer able to collaborate with him on his groundbreaking research, which seeks to understand how stem cells can be used to regenerate damaged organs.
Against this backdrop, the show also explores how the fatwa has affected the lives of ordinary Iranians who are in need of medical treatment. Some Iranians have resorted to seeking out unproven stem cell treatments offered by doctors who travel to the country from other parts of the world, while others have turned to other forms of alternative medicine.
Through interviews with scientists, doctors, and patients in Iran and the United States, the episode sheds light on the challenges facing stem cell research in Iran, and the potential consequences of the fatwa on the health of Iranian citizens. It also explores the wider implications of the ban, including the impact it may have on the country's scientific progress and its international relations.
As with all episodes of Frontline World, Iran: The Stem Cell Fatwa offers a nuanced, in-depth look at a complex issue. Through compelling storytelling and expert analysis, the episode offers a unique perspective on the intersection of religion, politics, and science in contemporary Iran. Overall, the episode offers a thought-provoking exploration of the ways in which the decisions of political and religious leaders can have far-reaching consequences for the lives of ordinary people.
