Two Major Ethical Issues Concerning Stem Cell Research

There are two different types of stem cells that are used in research: embryonic stem cells and non-embryonic “somatic” or “adult” stem cells, (NIH). Embryonic stem cells are derived from human embryos and are usually obtained through the process of in vitro fertilization in a laboratory setting. According to Bevington, embryonic stem cells are left over from attempted fertilization in fertility clinics and are donated to research by the patient with consent, (Bevington 2005). What makes embryonic stem cell research unethical is that the human embryo is destroyed through the research process. Adult stem cells are found among differentiated cells in a tissue or organ. The purpose of adult stem cells is to

When talking about ethics, we have theoretical ethics and applied ethics. Those these two are different they, are also connected. Theoretical ethics can be defined as the theoretical study of the main concepts and methods of ethics(Ward). This is, basically, studying the ethical language, the concepts, beliefs, and the reasoning of certain ethical theories. Applied ethics are defined as the application and evaluation of the principles that guide practice in particular domains. Applied ethics concerns the issues and problems specific to the field in question(Ward). This is taking ethical theories and applying them to everyday issues, whether private or professional. While they are different, since one looks at understanding ethical principles and the other takes a different approach by applying those principles, they are similar because they really need to go hand in hand to reach the right goal. In order to figure out which ethical theory works, you would need to learn more about it and then look at applying it. Now, we will take a look at rights based ethics and stem cell research.

When talking about the ethical issue surrounding embryonic stem cells their are 2 main moral principles:

In recent years, stem cell research has become a prominent way of treating: heart disease, cancer, HIV/AIDS, spinal problems, and much more ; moreover, in recent years as Stem cell research became more popular, it has sparked controversy over the religion aspect of stem cell research. Stem cell research begins with culturing an embryonic cell and then injecting the stem cell into the area of concern(Robertson). Pluripotent stem cells are gathered and used to treat the areas, pluripotent stem cells are those that are in the earliest stages of development ; in addition, at this stage, cells can learn the jobs and take shape of cells that did the job once before (Robertson).

Stem cell research is a fairly controversial topic in the United States. Stem cells are cells that have the potential to become certain types of cells throughout a human body. There are a few types of stem cells, which are embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells, and induced pluripotent stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are the most controversial due to the manner from which they are obtained. Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent cells gathered from the inner cell mass of a blastocyst, which is an early-stage embryo that contains about 50-150 cells. However, the extraction of these cells causes the blastocyst to be destroyed, which is what raises many flags to people. The controversy of stem cell research began as early as 1996 when congress

There are only a small number of issues that are controversial as far as the public, the government and scientists are concerned. The father of all issues, however, is the debate that revolves around the ethics of stem cell research. Stem cells can be defined as "those cells in an embryo that essentially give rise to the entire organism" (Capra, 1999).

Embryonic stem cell research could one day hold the key to many new scientific discoveries if it is continuously funded in the years to come. I chose to base my research around the question, Should embryonic stem cell research be government funded? When I finish highschool I hope to pursue a career in the medical field. Although I wish to become a doctor and may not be directly researching stem cells, they may one day be a treatment that I will have to administer to patients. To answer this question I first had to understand why embryonic stem cells are a topic for such heated debates. This is another thing that interested me greatly. I had known about how stem cells were produced, but I had not known about the ethics and great amount of

There is a debate over the ethics of stem cell research and many people on opposing sides of the issue are not aware of all aspects. In order to intelligently debate the legal and ethical issues regarding stem cell research, one must understand what stem cells are, the applications currently available, and the impact of the research. It is also important to understand the distinction between adult and embryonic stem cells before exploring their uses and impacts

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).

Stem cells are defined as the population of cells within an organism that retains its ability to divide and differentiate into various cell types. Since the early 1980s, scientists have researched the use of stem cells in the treatment of various human diseases such as cancer and diabetes. The research has sparked a controversial debate worldwide due to the nature of stem cell research and the source of pluripotent stem cells used in research. Stem cell research is a necessity, despite the source of pluripotent stem cells, because the research has led to breakthrough information involving the treatment diseases and injuries and the use of stem cells to replace damaged cells.

Stem cell research and engineering is a widely disputed topic that often divides people in science, ethics, and religion. In order to fully understand the controversy surrounding this area of scientific research and discovery, one must be informed as to what stem cells are. In the article, “Human Embryonic Stem Cells: Research, Ethics and Policy”, stem cells are described as “primitive cells with the capacity to divide and give rise to more identical stem cells or to specialize and from specific cells of somatic tissues” (Wert 672). Essentially, stem cells can potentially provide an unlimited supply of cells that could form some or all body cells. This ability to transform into different types or all types of cells depends of the type of stem cell, which can be divided into embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells (Bishop 1). Embryonic stem cells are extracted from preimplantation embryos and are pluripotent, meaning they possess the ability to form cells of all tissues in the adult human body. Adult stem cells, however, are limited to what tissues they can transform into.

Catholics are absolutely against embryonic stem cell research. News is already talking about how the Catholics approve for stem cell research but inside of an interview with Catholic News Service Nancy O’Brien wrote: “Declaring that the stem-cell research does not present a conflict between science and religion, the U.S bishops overwhelmingly approved a statement June 13th calling the use of human embryos in such research “gravely immoral” and unnecessary” (O’Brien “Catholic News Service”). As you can see from that message, Catholics are all for the stem cell research however they hate the fact that embryos are involved and are even working up to get that taken care of. This research is honestly going against everything that Catholics believe in. Multiple times inside of this document that was submitted and approved was multiple statements of immoral judgements. One quote inside of this document that really stood out is, “The issue of stem-cell research does not force us to choose between science and ethics, much less between science and religion” (O’Brien “Catholic News Service”). This quote really hit the spot on this view because it has a good point, science and religion are starting to seriously get some tension between them. The more we become technology oriented and the more we find out different ways to do stuff then the more we are going to step on someone’s toes. This quote really hit that by saying that ethics and science don’t go as much together as science and

Do you agree or disagree with the phenomenon of stem cells by taking ethical concerns into consideration? The state of stem cells will be able to regenerate medicine with ethical concerns being taken into account. I therefore agree that ethical values and concerns have to be taken into account with stem cell research. Do researches of stem cells include its history and success Compile a questionnaire Extract data from questionnaires Conclude from data results Evaluate the importance of the research and the usage of stem cells Stem cells are a class of undifferentiated cells that are able to differentiate into specialized cell types. According to Peter Crosta from Medical News Today (2013), stem cells come from two main sources: Embryos formed

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

Most embryonic stem cells are obtained from embryos that have been made in a lab through in vitro fertilization and they are used for test purposes only. This is one of the most argued facts by protestor?s against stem cell research (Marshall, 1998). Many people believe that it is murder because they are killing a human life. Embryonic stem cells are also capable of forming tumors or promoting tumor formation because they are not put back into their original donor?s body. (Velazquez, n.d.).