Fetal Tissue Transplants are Unethical

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Fetal Tissue Transplants are Unethical The transplantation of human fetal neural tissue into the brains of humans suffering from progressive neurodegenerative disorders is one of the hottest arguments currently being debated. Fetal neural tissue is being used as a possible treatment for some diseases. The treatment and possible cure for many of these diseases falls upon the successful transplantation of fetal neural tissue from the brain, spinal chord and peripheral nervous system. Some of the possible beneficiaries of these transplants would be those with Parkinson's disease, a common neurodegenerative disorder of the nervous system. Fetal tissue transplantation involves injecting fetal tissue obtained through electively aborted fetuses into another human being. Because fetal tissue deemed most appropriate and acceptable for transplantation is primarily obtained from elective abortion procedures, many concerns have arisen in the public, political, and scientific communities. It is because of their unique characteristics that fetal cells are far more ideal for use in tissue transplantation than tissue derived from an adult donor. Fetal tissue grows much faster than tissue obtained from an adult donor, a few fetal cells from a donor have the potential of replacing a large number of host cells. Fetal tissue transplantation is a relatively new procedure that has a rather large history behind it. The first attempts to transplant human fetal tissue into patients took place in the 1920's. The first major success using fetal tissue to treat a medical condition was in the 1950's when a vaccine for polio was developed. There was relatively little public concern about the use of fetal tissue unti... ... middle of paper ... ...h for this study should be banned along with any attempts to sell ones fetal tissues to an undercover market. In conclusion, although fetal tissue transplants may deem to be a very helpful procedure in the treatment for many diseases it should be outlawed and banned. I say this because in order for one life to survive a new life must be taken away. Not only does this serve as a problem, but if this procedure is accepted it will lead the society to believe that this procedure is encouraged when it really is not. Also, if the procedure is accepted by society it would lead to an eventual black market of tissues and organs that could only increase the rate of abortion. These possible problems all have the snowball affect on one another. In order to play the matter safely where no harm is to be done would be to outlaw fetal tissue transplantation.

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