Does the human embryo deserve to be treated like a human being, and thus to be significantly protected both legally and morally? This is the fundamental ethical question whose answer is crucial for the acceptance of abortion, pre-implantation diagnostics, and embryo research. The author discusses this question in terms of human dignity, the human right to life, and the value of human life. He concludes that while the embryo is entitled to a certain degree of protection, it does not need to be treated as a born human when it comes to the permissibility of the aforementioned measures.