The new millennium has brought with it astonishing discoveries in biomedical sciences. Microarray technology, completion of the human genome sequence and improved efficiencies of drug discovery, ultrahigh screening technologies brought modern society into completely new approach of treating major chronic diseases that seemed to be dreadful for life in the earlier stages of humanity. Along with these outstanding medical advances a self-renewing stem cell that regenerates and gives rise to all cells and tissues of the body was discovered. The controversy of such finding of abilities of stem cell is that they can only be extracted from the human embryo. In order to extort stem cells from the embryo it needs to be aborted. The extraction needs …show more content…
Stem cells have an extraordinary potential to develop into many different cell types in the body. They serve as a repair system by replenishing other cells in a human’s or animal’s organism. It divides without limit and is able to transform into another type of cell with a more specialized function which is missing in the body. Such cells can be a muscle cell, a brain cell, or a red blood cell. Stem cells are essential for many reasons. They give rise to the entire body of the organism, including many organs like eggs, heart, sperm, skin, lungs and etc. Stem cells also precipitate replacements for cells that are lost through injury, disease, normal wear, or tear in adult marrow, brain, and muscle. Stem cells, with their unique regenerative abilities, have great potential in treating many diseases including diabetes, cancer, heart disease, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, and birth defects. Scientists use stem cells in their research to develop modal systems which help them to study normal growth of an organism and to determine the causes of birth defects. Authors in their book The Human Embryonic Stem Cell Debate: Science, Ethics, and Public Policy write about the benefits of stem cells for those who suffer from different diseases, “Patients with stroke or spinal cord injuries could receive cell-based treatments that would restore central nervous system function, thereby enabling them to maintain functional independence” (page 3).
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Stem cells are cells that have the potential to develop into different types of cells in the body. Stem cells also act as a repair system for many tissues in the body by dividing repeatedly to replenish other cells within a person (National Institutes of Health). Stem cell research seeks to further the advancement of the use of stem cells as well as to find an ethical way to study them. In November 1998, researchers found a way to isolate and culture human embryonic stem cells, (Bevington 2005). The ethics of stem cell research has been debated over the years and some people fully support the use of stem cells, whereas others are completely against the use of stem cells. This has been an ongoing battle for scientists over the span of two decades prior to the 1998 finding.
Stem Cell research and its funding have caused a lot of controversy throughout the past years. Stem cells are cells that are present in all living organisms. These cells have the potential to grow into any type of cell, including blood cells, nerves, muscles, and pancreatic cells. Stem cell research is essential because of the beneficial aspects it has to offer. Stem cells could potentially treat conditions such as Alzheimer 's, Parkinson 's, birth defects, strokes, Diabetes, cancer, and help in the reconstruction of severely damaged organs. Although stem cell research withholds great potential for many medical advances, a lot of controversy surrounds the sources and methods of obtaining stem cells and the possibility of improper usage of the knowledge acquired from research and experimentation. It is necessary for scientist to continue research as well as recognizing any ethical issues that may be present.
The transfer of information, often shared through scientific reports and research, puts this topic in a highly international spotlight. Many supporters believe that stem cells will be able to help solve once untreatable diseases or injuries such as spinal cord injuries, skin burns, Parkinson’s disease, and some blood disorders. However, the main argument is if stem cells should be used in finding therapeutic treatments. The use of embryonic stem cells is viewed by many as a moral inconsistency; it is opposed by religious organizations and individuals believing that this research should be abandoned and existing, alternative methods be adapted.
In humans adult stem cells, not embryonic stem cells, have been used in therapies for more than forty years. People with blood disorders have used stem cell therapy to take the opportunity to improve upon their life. On the other hand, embryonic stem cells have a very high potential to treat or even cure numerous diseases like diabetes and heart disease. They are much more versatile in their usage compared to adult stem cells. Another practical use for embryonic stem cells is to treat damaged nerves ("Testing The Use…”). These nerves could have been impaired in a spinal cord injury. As of today, scientists have already performed stem cell transplants in people whose cells were damaged through chemotherapy of disease.
A brief introduction to stem cells; Stem cells are cells that are undifferentiated, or, simply put, a cell that has not yet been given a job, such as cells that create molecules. In recent years, scientists have discovered the potency that stem cells contain, due to their versatility. For example, stem cells could be studied and used to cure a man of liver disease, a child’s handicap, a woman’s breast cancer, etc…, etc…. One may now be asking themselves? “That’s great… then why are so many people against stem cell research? What could possibly be the drawback? “. You see, stem cells are acquired by human embryos, or, in Layman’s Terms, unborn fetuses. Take for
“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.
Stem cell research is often at the forefront of heated ethical debates due to its assessment of human life. If stem cell research cannot be ethically defended, then it should not be conducted. “You cannot defend a study ethically unless the presumed cost is lower than expected benefits. The cost-benefit analysis of scientific research needs to include human/animal discomfort/risks, environmental issues, material costs, etc” which is necessary to support the positive outcome which the research claims to provide (experiment-resources, 2008).
Adult stem cells are not necessarily derived from adult human but merely not from embryos. These stem cells can found in bone marrow, connective tissues, hair follicles, umbilical cords and other areas of the body. It is said that these cells have been used to treat an estimated 11,000 patients in the United States in the past two years alone, and over 70 diseases, including Parkinson’s and diabetes. (Pence, 2009) There have been 0 recorded successful treatments achieved by the use of embryonic stem cells. As well, stem cells from umbilical cord blood have been used to treat 65 diseases such as leukemia, and lymphoma. (Sweat,
The society is not at an agreeable point when it comes to the research of stem cells obtained from human embryos. The disagreement narrows down to a clash between the two fundamental principles of ethics: The duty to prevent and alleviate suffering, and the duty to respect the value of human life. In most situations, both principles can be satisfied. However, in the research of embryonic stem cells, it might not be inherently possible.
“While we must devote enormous energy to conquering disease, it is equally important that we pay attention to the moral concerns raised by the new frontier of human embryo stem cell research. Even the most noble ends do not justify any means.” This quote comes from former president George W. Bush during a radio conference where he discussed his decision to allow federal funds to be used for stem cell research only in cases where the embryos were not harmed. While still in the beginning stage of exploration, stem cell research, and more specifically embryonic stem cell research, has become a topic of great debate. The ethics and procedures involved have come into question not only by the Catholic Church, but also by many citizens and even our presidents. The morality of this new scientific development lies in the way these stem cells are obtained. For scientists to acquire embryonic stem cells they must be removed from a destroyed embryo. For some this is just a small obstacle or nuisance in technicalities as to what a human being is, while for other it is seen as murder and the taking of a life before it even had a chance. Another reason the use of embryos is frowned upon is because of the alternate and successfully proven approach of using somatic stem cells, which do not require any human life to be harmed. The Catholic Church, being an institution of God and supporting all life, for obvious reasons cannot be a supporter of embryonic stem cell research because of the
“Stem cell researchers believe that much greater results could be achieved by using embryonic stem cells because these cells can differentiate into a far greater number of cell types” (potential uses for stem cells). Stem cells are affected heavily by their environment. For example, “researchers have taken adult stem cells from the brains of rats and put them in bone marrow and watched, in astonishment, as they spewed out blood cells” (Gorman). When harvesting embryonic cells the embryo is destroyed essentially ending any chance of life. On the other hand, somatic stem cells can be found within humans throughout any stage of life and obtaining these cells result in no harm to the donator. However, somatic cells do not have near the same promise as embryonic cells but, they still have many uses. Thus, these cells challenge both the boundaries of science and boundaries of our morals to obtain a healthy life.
While some people might say that stem cell research is immoral and unethical, others believe that it is a magical solution for almost any problem, thus leading to a very controversial issue. Scientists have been searching for years for ways to eradicate incurable diseases and perform other medical procedures that yesterday's technology would not fix. With the rapidly arising, positive research on stem cell technology, the potential that exists to restore any deficiency is in the same way, likely to destroy humanity. America is suffering from its inability to choose who holds precedence over this issue. Too many of us find it impossible to reach a basis for which our differing opinions can be shared and formed into a universal and
The use of cells in medicine is not ethical.it is not ethical because they can cause immortal cells . according to the article Henrietta lacks immortal cells it states that Henrietta died of cancer that was caused by immortal cells .this tells us that when stem cells are used they make your cells stronger causing them to live longer or forever .cells in medicine should not be used because immortal cells cause cancer causing your death
Within the therapeutic sector of cloning and regenerative medicine, stem cells propose a lot of medical benefits as it shows potential in treating conditions like Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia, diabetes, cancer and many others (Echevarria and Girolamo, 2010). Stem cells allow researchers to grasp a better understanding about the growth of human cells and their functions/development. Therefore, this will allow scientists in the future to test drugs without carrying out any tests on animals and a number of potential medicines. Furthermore, stem cell therapy also allows researchers to study the developmental stages of the embryo which then treat the number of birth defects and reduce infertility problems thus pregnant loss (Echevarria and Girolamo, 2010). A higher understanding of stem cells will suggest different techniques to treat abnormal development in the human body. In addition, stem cell therapy prevents the risk of rejection in a patient’s own body as the cells belong to the same human body.
Recently there have been significant advances in the world of stem cell research through lab testing. In the beginning days of research, stem cells were obtained from aborted embryos. Even though receiving the cells from embryos is more efficient, controversy through the ideas of obtaining the stem cells has occurred. Some arguments have supported the idea saying that the fetuses are no longer living anyways; why not donate them to scientific research. In order to relieve the controversy of using aborted fetuses there have been new studies done on adult stem cells through lab testing on mouse embryos. In an article, “Adult Stem Cell Study Promising,” scientists proved that the mice injected with stem cells, “specialized to fit in with the tissues where they appeared, a list that includes the brain, retina, lung, heart, muscle, liver, intestine, kidney, spleen, marrow, and skin.” This concludes that stem cells can be used to treat if not cure illnesses involving the organs affected by diseases. Also there has been research done on an infected mouse where stem cells were injected into their blood stream. The donor cells