Stem Cell Research

Embryonic stem cell research is so controversial because society is judging whether or not taking stem cells from days old embryos is immoral, or if doctors should look past the cons and do what is necessary to eventually preserve many lives. While stem cell research has received an abundance of support from people who believe it has the potential to treat and remedy disease, many others oppose embryonic stem cell research because it ultimately causes the destruction of an embryo, what they consider to be a human life. Which brings on the question, when does life begin. The answer is opinionated. Many people disagree on when life begins; some people believe that an embryo is a human and some believe that they are not human until the first heartbeat.

It is on this fact that the opposition to stem cell research bases its cause on, to stop the killing of embryos just for scientific research. But on the other hand, scientists say that by using this universal cell, they can develop cures fro many diseases, such as Parkinson’s, or diabetes, or heart disease. Also, the development of stem cells into certain kinds of cells is controlled by so called “on, off genes”. Scientists say that the same type of genes are responsible for the development of tumors which lead to cancer, and if research can be done on these stem cell on/off genes, and they can figure out how they work, then a cure for cancer is possible. Not all stem cells come from embryos.

Should it not be ethical to allow the destruction of a few embryos in order to help the millions of people who suffer from diseases.“Embryonic stem cell research argue that it is actually wrong to protect the lives of a few unborn human beings it will help the millions who suffer.”(The center for bioethics & human dignity, n.d.). What do people believe to be positive or wrong about embryonic stem cell research.

Other people fear that stem cells are too dangerous to play with, thinking that it might cause a new retrovirus or cancer. Some people even believe that we should stop playing “God” and that we should let human nature run its course. However the only way to stop these fears is with more research and study on this subject. Keep in mind that the topic of stem cells is only a few years old. The potential possibilities and possible lives saved can outweigh the current problems of the topic such as funding or ethics.

These include embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells, and induced pluripotent cells. Embryonic stem cells are cells that have the potential to produce many different cells in the body. They are cells that are tak... ... middle of paper ... ...he site of destruction and regrow those damaged cells. This could be a medical breakthrough for many patients because this could mean limited hospital stay; Fewer treatments from reoccurring illness caused by damaged tissue and saving them money by decreasing the need for multiple hospital visits. Stem cells are an ongoing research project in which new discoveries are being made about them, and researchers are learning how to use them in new ways.

The future of revolutionizing medical treatment and it’s potentials are vast espially in finding ways to genetically modify people that may (deem) impossible, while possibly treating diseases such as Alzymers, Perkysings, heart and lung diseases, and the list expands. So why the controversy of its predictated affects, revolutionsary and astonishing? The bikker controversy to its revolutionary impacts are mainly instigated by the “pro-life” organization who argue that it is not worth losing innocent life, or in this case find it unscrupulous to kill innocent embroys who have yet to experience the blessings of life. Using the tissue lining of... ... middle of paper ... ... However, the main issue still stands whether the killing of an embryo is a necessity in order to obtain stem cells.

The large amount of attention was because of the answers stem cells held for diseases and other problems. The ethical dilemma was focused on the fact scientists were destroying human embryos. New advancements in technology may resolve this controversy and bring the fight to an end. Scientists have discovered how to make a patients cells act and respond like embryonic cells. This decreases the demand for human embryos in experimentation and instead uses stem cell therapies (Genetic Science Learning Center).

The main reason for the controversy over stem cell research is that the embryos are ultimately destroyed after the stem cells are removed. Many religions believe that a human life is formed as soon as the sperm fertilizes the egg. They believe the destruction of the embryos to be akin to murder. ... ... middle of paper ... ...e heart, liver, or kidney’s and use the cells from them to test new drugs. If the cells react harshly to the medicine, then that would be an indicator that the drug is not ready for human trials.

The reason researches in the biomedical field want to harvest and test stem cells are because of their unknown capabilities to perhaps cure Alzheimer’s, osteoporosis, cancer, heart disease and spinal cord injuries. Research has been slowed by differing opinions on the definition of the status of the embryo as morally or genetically human. Richard M. Doerflinger calls this difference of opinion a “confrontation between religion and science” (Doerflinger, 2010).Stem cell research is focused on embryos that are donated by couples who have created embryos through in-vitro fertilization (Steinbock, 2007). The question researchers, funders, politicians and citizens are asking is when does the human life begin? Furthermore, ethicists are looking to determine what makes something human the rights that it deserves.

Cloning has a high probability of a mutation or disease occurring in the clone. Some of these conditions brought on by cloning include Parkinson’s disease and protein sequence errors. Cloned humans are s... ... middle of paper ... ...o try and replace a person’s kidney, but the new kidney had a disease from the cloning process, the new kidney could end up killing the person. By attempting to save the person’s life, they would only create new problems. It is because of these medical, societal, and religious concerns that human cloning should not be performed.