Should We Use Embryonic Stem Cells?

1. We have many different stem cells in our bodies that we carry throughout our entire life. Embryonic stem cells exclusively, possess an immense self-renewal capacity to differentiate into essentially any cell type of organism. The potential for cures from Embryonic Stem Cells are limitless; they have the potential to be able to treat, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, heart failure, spinal cord injury, and bone marrow failure, to name just a few. These breakthroughs will open the doors for scientist to study even more stem cell types through the embryonic cells, which will lead to great discoveries and remarkable cures, possibly even for chronic diseases.

2. Embryonic stem cells are derived from the blastocysts, which are a hollow ball of cells,

Many people have mixed feelings when it comes to Embryonic Stem Cells since it involves destruction of human embryos. It forces us to choose between the principles of either alleviating the suffering, or respecting life. To derive an Embryonic Stem Cell, the early embryo has to be destroyed. The ethical concerns come from whether you view the early embryo as possessing the status of a person. Everything depends on how you view the embryo itself; everyone varies in opinion on when an embryo obtains the status of a person. Many believe that immediately after fertilization an embryo becomes a human being, and therefore, should be treated with respect. Opponents of Embryonic Stem Cell research will see it immoral and unethical to destroy one life to save another’s. People in favor of stem cell research see the embryo as a potential person, and consider that since it has not been implanted in the uterus it does not contain human life, and therefore, should be used to benefit patients who are indeed human. It all goes back to whether you consider the embryo to possess human and moral