While embryonic stem cell research has been ongoing for more than 30 years, it has only become a controversial topic over the past decade. The embryonic stem cell was first isolated in 1981 by two scientists at the University of Cambridge. However, it wasn’t until 1998 at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where the first batch of embryonic stem cells were created in a test tube. In 2001, President George W. Bush approved the use of federal funding for research on this topic, following this action the stem cell controversy has been developing. The controversy around this topic focuses heavily on the ethical portion of stem cell research rather than the scientific evidence. Stem cell research has shown great promise for potentially …show more content…
Therefore, much of the critic’s arguments are invalid due to the fact that the embryo won’t develop into a child. Stem cells are the beginning of an enormous scientific breakthrough, a breakthrough that critics are simply putting off. Embryonic stem cells have the potential to treat some of the worst diseases we face today, such as cancer. Many critics argue that adult stem cells offer a good alternative. However, adult stem cells have become specialized and only have the ability to become specific type of tissue. Unlike adult stem cells, embryonic stem cells have the ability to create any type of cell within the body, as well as replicate themselves. This difference is proof alone that embryonic stem cells are vital to treating the more complex illnesses. Due to this, embryonic stem cells would create a larger bank of replacement cells and tissues. This is important because although there is organ and tissue donation, there is a higher demand for them than we have to supply. With embryonic stem cells, there would be more available treatment for patients with diseases such as macular degeneration, spinal cord injuries, heart disease, and more. In the case of heart disease, with the use of embryonic stem cells, healthy heart tissue could be generated in the lab and then transplanted. This would lead to a quicker treatment option than waiting for an available tissue and organ through
Stem Cell Research: An Annotated Bibliography Holland, Suzanne. The Human Embryonic Stem Cell Debate: Science, Ethics, and Public Policy. Boston: MIT Press, 2001. Print.
This is the way it is because in order to obtain an embryonic stem cell, the embryo has to be destroyed. This means destroying a potential human life. But, embryonic stem cell research could very well lead to the discovery of new medical treatments that would relieve many people of their pain and discomfort and restore their health. Some people say that although an embryo does not currently have any characteristics of a person, it will eventually evolve into a person and should be given the respect and dignity of one. Others argue
The President’s Council on Bioethics published “Monitoring Stem Cell Research” in 2004. This report was written in response to President Bush’s comments regarding research of human stem cells on August 9, 2001. President Bush announced that he was going to make federal funding available for research that involved existing lines of stem cells that came from embryos. He is the first president to provide any type of financial support for the research of human stem cells. A Council was created with people who are educated in the field of stem cells to help monitor the research and to recommend guidelines and consider the ethical consequences that this research could create. This report is an “update” given
The importance of ethical issues is often understated in public knowledge. Embryonic stem cell research should be of the utmost importance in the American society due to increased federal funding and the promises research in this field hold. As with many other controversies, embryonic stem cell research can be described as a dispute between religion and science due to the destruction of a viable human embryo. Depending on the status an individual grants an embryo will likely determine their stance on the issue. Next, many changes in legality and public acceptance have prompted leaders to increase funding and expand research nationally. Since taxpayers’ dollars are at work, the public should be aware of this prevalent and advancing ethical issue and be informed of its specifics. The public should also be aware of the advancements in healthcare that this research promise. Due to the changes in funding and legality, many discoveries have been made, pushing this science further. Many scientists believe embryonic stem cell research holds the key to curing many bodily injuries and deadly diseases such as spinal cord and brain injuries, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s. Also, many scientists conceive that, in the future, it will be possible to “grow” human organs from an individual’s stem cells for transplantation. The latter are only a few of the plethora of anticipated and promised treatments research in this field holds. Lastly,
“Now science has presented us with a hope called stem cell research, which may provide our scientists with many answers that have for so long been beyond our grasp.” (Nancy Reagan). Most cells within our bodies perform one specialized task. Contrary to these single job cells are stem cells. These cells are unspecialized and can morph and perform any task that is needed within the body. However, the way that stem cells are harvested has caused a lot of controversy. The way that the stem cells are taken destroys the embryo. We should support the recent decision to allow embryonic stem-cell research in the United States and federally fund the work to use these stem cells to cure diseases. Better stem cell research would provide safer procedures and medical practices for everyone.
One of the most heated political battles in the United States in recent years has been over the morality of embryonic stem cell research. The embryonic stem cell debate has polarized the country into those who argue that such research holds promises of ending a great deal of human suffering and others who condemn such research as involving the abortion of a potential human life. If any answer to the ethical debate surrounding this particular aspect of stem cell research exists, it is a hazy one at best. The question facing many scientists and policymakers involved in embryonic stem cell research is, which is more valuable – the life of a human suffering from a potentially fatal illness or injury, or the life of human at one week of
In the past two decades, many technological and scientific advances have been made in order to make life easier for many people who suffer from cancer, disease and sickness. Among these advances there is something revolutionary called stem cells. Stem cells can help restore and regenerate almost all parts of the human body such as the heart, kidney, liver, and many other organs. Although stem cells offer a lot, there are many views against and for stem cells, and among these views lies the debate of whether stem cells should be legalized or not (NIH 2). Stem cells offer exciting new opportunities in the field of science such as regenerating human body parts, but many people are still debating whether or not the use of stem cells is
In 1981, scientists began to derive embryonic stem cells from mouse embryos. A decade later a more in depth study was discovered to be able to take human embryonic stem cells and grow them in laboratories. At first, the discovery was used only for in vitro fertilization procedures but until recently, in 2006, scientists made a breakthrough of embryonic stem cells used to be reprogrammed genetically with specialized adult cells. Embryonic stem cells, also known as pluripotent cells, can generate to become about two hundred types of cells in a human body and can specialize to do what they were programmed to do. This is due to the fact that embryonic stem cells can grow in large sums of numbers. Because of their ability to generate into specific
In the contemporary world of today, the issue of embryonic stem cell research is one of this controversial significant topic regarding which there is neither fair/moral agreement nor understandable, wide-ranging laws. As far as the ethical debate is concerned, it focuses on the verifiable piece of information that stem cell research consists of destroying the very early embryos of the human beings. The federal government has restricted the financial support for stem cell research to research that makes use of the stem cells obtained from a small amount of stem cell "lines" (Shapiro, 2006).
Imagine living in a world without cancer, Parkinson 's, or even diabetes. While everyone may wish this is true, people are against a way that researchers can make this possible, which would be by the use of stem cells. There is major controversy on whether or not stem cell research should be allowed, especially when it comes to embryonic stem cell research. Although many consider it to be killing a potential life form, embryonic stem cell research may eventually be acceptable to use because there is consent and a lengthy process to make sure the donor understands what their embryonic stem cells will be used for. That may be viewed as a much better
In the 21st century, disease is rampant and for most diseases, we have no cure because we haven 't researched them long enough to find a specialized cure. One option that we have is human embryonic stem cell (HESC) research. HESC research consists of using human embryonic stem cells, which are very flexible and adaptive to create the necessary cells to develop future cell-based therapies for currently untreatable diseases, such as leukemia, various types of cancer along with the regeneration of organs and tissues. There are multiple applications of stem cell research include being used to study the development of a complex organism, replace damaged cells and treat disease, study disease and they could provide a resource for testing new medical treatments. (What are the potential applications.) HESC research offers the “hope of cures for chronic and debilitating conditions, such as juvenile diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injuries and blindness.” (Vestal.) On the other hand, this research also represents “a revolutionary path to discovering the causes and cures for many more human maladies.” (Vestal.)
The controversy over stem cell research’s use in the medical field is almost two decades old. So why the sudden intense return of fierce political debates over an old issue? It’s because President Obama recently revoked the ban on stem cell research, as he believes it holds the potential to revolutionize the medical industry in the years to come. As USA Today quoted him saying in March, after he stopped restricting federal funding for stem cell research, "At this moment, the full promise of stem cell research remains unknown and should not be overstated. Scientists believe these tiny cells may have the potential to help us understand, and possibly cure, some of our most devastating diseases and conditions."
Stem cell research is surrounded by controversy, relating to the morality of the use of stem cells for medical procedures. This is often associated most strongly with embryonic stem cells, due to the fact that in order to harvest embryonic stem cells the formation of an embryo is necessary. Commonly it is argued that, since that embryo could have potentially became a human that it is unethical to destroy them for research. It is important to note that stem cell research in its very nature is unique from any other medical research, this is because stem cells are essentially blank slates of human cells, undifferentiated, meaning that these cells have potential to become
Embryonic stem cell research is a highly controversial topic in today's society, this kind of stem cell commits to regenerate any type of tissue. Unfortunately, Embryonic Stem Cell Research has a dark side. To obtain these cells will kill the embryo automatically. In other words, the acquirement of the Human Embryonic Stem Cell includes performing an abortion. To obtain these cells, it would kill the embryo. This has created controversy since abortion is such a divisive topic. Politicians are uneasy to take sides. The Human Embryonic Stem Cell issue is today's Pandora's Box due to all the unwittingly chaos that it can bring to our lives. By having this new option available in the medical world,
Embryonic stem cell research has been a heated debate for upwards of 30 years due to the controversial nature of extracting embryos for research purposes. Recently the ban for federal funding to research embryos has been lifted; therefore, sparking even more debate on whether or not embryonic stem cells research is ethical. Embryonic stem cell research is the extracting of embryos in order to conduct research in cell repair and growth. There are two moral principles to choose between: is it used to prevent or help suffering and pain, or should we respect the value of human life? Embryonic stem cell research is considered murder by many. Also, with thousands of embryos preserved in in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinics, “it appears that there