The Pros And Cons Of Embryonic Stem Cells

Research involving embryonic stem cells is now one of the biggest projects in the world of modern science and scientific breakthroughs. Stem cells are basically cells that can develop into any kind of differentiated cell type in the body (Freeman 2011). This means that a young and healthy stem cell is able to become a variety of distinct cells in the body, each kind of cell playing a different role and function for that specific organism. Stem cells generally come from fully matured tissue or from a developing embryo that is in the phase of being a blastocyst (Crosta 2013). Being that they are found in places like the blood, skin, or skeletal muscles, these adult stem cells remain in an idle state until there is a destructive stress on the body, such as a malignant disease or a tissue injury. There is much controversy about any form of cloning due to those who fervently believe that each life has value, even as an embryo. Barack Obama has stated that cloning has no place in our society and that it is profoundly wrong in any way, shape, or form (Gilgoff 2009). I personally agree with his stances, even if scientists are only using the embryos for research and not physically implanting them into a human being. Although stem cell research has been proven to show many scientific breakthroughs, these breakthroughs do not outweigh the fact that embryos are being used and destroyed for the sake of other humans.

In biology lecture, we learned that in order for an embryo to continuously grow and develop, the number cells in the embryo must escalate higher and higher (Freeman 2011). Cells must develop from the embryonic stage and as that development progresses, the cells go through the process of differentiation, which is becoming a speciali...

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...in a human who needs it more than that embryo does. Who is to say that the patient needs those cells more than the embryo? Why must the embryo die as a sacrifice to the human who has already lived a life and is about to die? This is murder and it is actually cruel murder because the embryo cannot fight or speak for itself. It is also cruel because the embryo is now created, but cannot continue to go on and have a life on earth just like the patient who is waiting for the benefits of that embryo.

The use of medical cloning and embryos for stem cell research is unethical and comes with many risks and high prices. Yes, advances in the medical field are important and can help humans who are in desperate need of saving. In the end, nothing should ever come down to sacrificing human embryos for the benefit of those trying to evade natural obstacles and anomalies in life.