I. Introduction
The desecration of life by use of embryonic stem cells is not necessary with alternatives such as adult, placenta, and umbilical stem cells available which hold promising results. Stem cell research definitely has shown its ability to benefit humanity, but at what lengths? At what cost? America along with the world continues to battle against embryonic stem cell research as it results in termination of a human life form. With a clear understanding of what stem cells are and how they are used the evidence clearly shows that alternative forms of stems cells can lead to the same promising results without arising any ethical concerns.
The most well accepted definition of stem cells is that they are cells that can differentiate into many other different cells. Stem cells are responsible for renewing other cells and tissues within the human body. (Grompe 2) Stem cell research is the process of advancing our knowledge about how an organism develops from a single cell and how healthy cells replace damaged cells in adult organisms. This research and desired knowledge is admirable, however in 1988 this research took a turn for the worst when embryonic stem cell research began to emerge. Pluripotents cells, or as we know them embryonic stem cells, are considered the most versatile because these cells can form into any type of human cell, and this is why scientist see embryonic research necessary. Adult stem cells withhold this same potential which will be discussed further along. The negative side to the use of embryonic stem cells is that they are derived from early embryos, which is what many view as the beginning of life. These embryos are being destroyed in the process of research thus preventing life from running its natural course.
The ethical controversies that arise in embryonic stem cell research are safety, resource allocation, and methods of harvesting cells. The safety of the existing cell lines is a concern because most of the cells have been grown in culture with the help of mouse stem cells which could lead to the transfer of dangerous animal viruses to humans. (3) The methods of harvesting the embryonic stem cells results in killing a living embryo, but some of these stem cells are produced by cloning. Cloning creates great fear in hearts and minds of the human race as the consequences of its use are unknown. The stem ...
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... of this country. Life is precious, and life is not expendable. Let us not trade one life for another. Alternative stem cell research does not force us into these ethical decisions. Chose life...Chose the alternative stem cell research.
Work Cited
Conan-Davies, Richard. “Stem Cells.” ClearlyExplained.com 8 June 2002.
Grompe, Markus. “Genetics of Development.” Rediscovering Biology
“AAAS Policy Brief: Stem Cell Research.” Advance Science, Serving Society 26 August 2004.
Pecorino, Lauren. “Stem Cells for Cell-Based Thearapies.” Action BioScience July 2001.
“Stem Cell Basics.” Stem Cell Information 10 June 2004.
“Immunosuppressive Drugs.” National Arthritis Foundation 23 April 2005.
“Embryonic Stem Cell Research.” The White House 9 August 2001.
“Radio Address by the President to the Nation” The White House 11 August 2001.
“Majority of Consumers Approve of Stem Cell Research Despite Ethical Concerns.” Weber Shandwick Worldwide 9 June 2004.
“Towns, C.R., and D.G. Jones. “Stem Cells, Embryos, and the Environment: A Context for both Scienc and Ethics.” Journal of Medical Ethics 30 (2004):410-413.
Stem cell research has been a heated and highly controversial debate for over a decade, which explains why there have been so many articles on the issue. Like all debates, the issue is based on two different arguments: the scientific evolution and the political war against that evolution. The debate proves itself to be so controversial that is both supported and opposed by many different people, organizations, and religions. There are many “emotional images [that] have been wielded” in an attempt to persuade one side to convert to the other (Hirsen). The stem cell research debate, accompanied by different rhetoric used to argue dissimilar points, comes to life in two articles and a speech: “Should Human Cloning Be Allowed? Yes, Don’t Impede Medical Progress” by Virginia Postrel; “Should Human Cloning Be Allowed? No, It’s a Moral Monstrosity” by Eric Cohen and William Kristol; and “Remarks by Ron Reagan, Jr., to the 2004 Democratic National Convention” by Ron Reagan, Jr. Ethos, pathos, and logos are the main categories differentiating the two arguments.
...y, J. (2014). Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research Can Meet Ethical Guidelines. In L. I. Gerdes
...ns of a morally questionable nature. It is necessary that our practices remain ethical and that we uphold the value of a human life, as this is the cornerstone of human society. Embryonic stem cell research is one such operation that forces scientists, policy makers, and the larger society to define what constitutes a human life and to find an answer to the crucial question: Is it morally acceptable to violate the rights of a human life for the for the sake of medical progress?
Most people are against Embryonic Stem Cell research mainly because they consider it unethical to use aborted fetuses for research. The two main issues concerning the research are the ethics (Cons) and the benefits (Pros). In any scientific case, ethics must always be considered. But the use of fetuses is something that is of the utmost importance. The costs are generally measured based off of people’s feelings, morals, and knowledge about the subject up for debate. The use of aborted fetuses for stem cell research may have many positive outcomes that can come of it, but many negative outcomes as well; If using aborted fetuses for research can, in the near future, save lives, then it is a research that should be supported, even though some people may see this type of research as something on the complete opposite side of the spectrum from the way they view abortion.
Because stem cells are essentially a blank slate, scientists are theoretically capable of growing any human tissue cell. There is enormous medical potential in this. Stem cell research is the next step in advancing the medical field. It is comparable to the discovery of penicillin or the inoculation for smallpox.
Sansom, Dennis L., P.H.D. "How Much Respect do we Owe the Embryo? Limits to Embryonic Stem Cell Research." Ethics & Medicine 26.3 (2010): 161,173,131. ProQuest Research Library. Web. 13 Jan. 2012.
While many support embryonic stem cell research, some people oppose it say that it is an unethical practice. According to these people, embryonic stem cells require murdering a baby, human life is defined by rational beings, those capable of rational thought or a consciousness. In order to be rational one must have a consciousness, the ability to have thoughts and feel pain, to begin with. “For a fertilized egg, there is no consciousness and also no history of consciousness” (Stem). If abortions are allowed within the United States, why shouldn’t embryonic stem cell research be? Another claim against embryonic stem cell research is that it devalues human lives. “Some argue that researching embryonic stem cells will lead us into cloning technology” (Embryonic). While embryonic cloning is a possibility, we already possess the capabilities to clone so cloning is an invalid argument. The final argument against embryonic stem cell research is that there are alternatives, like adult stem cells. While adult stem cells may be utilized, they won’t be as effective. Embryonic stem cells are not only efficient but also renewable. They can be grown in a culture where as adult stem cells are extremely rare, if there are any. They can only be found in mature tissue. Isolating these extremely rare cells is challenging and has a high failure rate if not harvested correctly. “One major difference between adult and embryonic stem cells is their different abilities in the number and type of differentiated cell types they can become” (Stem). Using adult stem cells we might never understand our development from conception ...
As technology stem cell research intensifies, so does the controversy about whether such scientific progress is moral. In the past millennium to today the present stem cell research has become a controversial topic across the world. Stem cells are unspecialized cells that have unique regenerative abilities, allowing them to divide into specialized cell types. Understanding why these processes occur is essential to curing disease. Critics of stem cell research argue that the extraction of embryonic stem cells involves destroying an early embryo, equating the act of killing a human. Although stem cell research is a highly controversial topic, it is compulsory to continue stem cell research within ethical boundaries for the benefit of mankind.
The controversy behind the stem cell research has been raging since the first experiments. The United States Congress banned federally supported human-embryo research in 1996, forcing scientists to solicit funding from private sponsors. Since stem cells are harvested from aborted fetuses, the ethical issues surrounding abortion act as a stigma in the public’s view. However, in September of last year, the National Bioethics Advisory Commission concluded that harvesting stem cells from discarded embryos is morally akin to removing organs from dead people for transplant. Stem cell research continues to be very controversial, yet prevalent in the scientific community.
Due to public awareness of science, people started realise that the stem cells have the potential in developing cell-based therapies for many uncured diseases. Objectors claimed that it is morally wrong for the government to advocate stem cell research because the research demands embryos’ destruction (National Bioethics Advisory Committee [NBAC], 1999, as cited in Nisbet, 2004).’’It’s immoral that hundreds of thousands of embryos are discarded yearly instead of used to research cures for human suffering.” (Gilbert, 2008).In 2001, President George W. Bush made his stand to oppose the stem cell research by l...
Stem cell research is becoming an issue that is one of the most profound of our time. The issue of research involving stem cells derived from human embryos is increasingly the subject of dinner table discussions and a national debate. The issue is confronted every day in laboratories as scientists ponder the ethical consequences of their work. It is agonized over by parents and many couples as they try to have children, or save children already born. The issue is debated within the church, with people of different faiths, even many of the same faith coming to different conclusions. Many people are finding that the more they know about stem cell research, the less certain they are about the right ethical and moral conclusions.
Within the past few years, scientist have made several breakthroughs with human stem cells. These breakthroughs have catapulted the issue of stem cell research into the middle of a national debate. Most people have no problem with the research itself, however the source of the stem cells (adult or human embryos) used in research is the primary cause of the debate. Some people feel that destroying an embryo is comparable to murder, even if the research it promotes may help people with serious illnesses. Other believe that an embryo is not a person and therefore research on an embryo is the same as research on any other group of cells.
Beyond the complicated science and history of stem cell research, complicated ethical battles wage for those who support embryonic research, and those who oppose it. Since the beginning of embryonic stem cell research, more conservative parties have argued against its morality. The main arguments against using spare IFV embryos are: there’s no use for embryonic stem cell research because adult stem cells already achieved successful results, using an embryo for scientific research constitutes as murder, and “embryonic stem cell research violates sanctity of life” (Dunedin).
Over the past couple years, scientist have continued research on embryonic stem cells, but there is still lots of controversy that accompanies this research. While research has grown to be more successful, it has also become more difficult to face controversies. These controversies mostly consist of funding and issues of differing moralities. There have been projects where funding was pulled because of people’s believing in different moralities and not having money to support the research. For example, the California-based biotechnology lab, Geron, did not have support and therefore “After many false starts… firm Geron pulled the plug on all of it’s embryonic stem cell research” (Cook).
Biology helps us understand what we are and how we function. In my IB biology class we discussed the ethical implications in stem cell research. For many years the only two source of stem cells, or undifferentiated cells, came from the blastula of an embryo or the b...