Toward Better Integration of Neuroethics and Research on Consciousness in Human Neural Organoids

Van Gyseghem and colleagues provided a valuable review of the potential emergence of rudimentary forms of consciousness in human neural organoids (HNOs) (Van Gyseghem et al. 2026). They showed that neuroethical reflection is diverse but still limited and insufficiently integrated with rapidly advancing laboratory research. As researchers active in the field, we offer several suggestions for moving forward in a constructive, scientifically grounded, and ethically robust direction. In particular, three domains (terminology, operationalization, and governance) are interdependent and mutually reinforcing.