Carmelita Coto
July 22, 2014
Embryonic Stem Cell Research
PHI310
Stevens-Henager College
EMBRYONIC STEM CELL RESEARCH Page 2
Embryonic Stem Cell Research
Embryonic stem cell reasearch has a longstanding debate history.
The 70's focused on research that involved fetuses in utero. The 80's shifted to research of transplantation of fetal tissue into adults with serious medical conditions such as diabetes, Parkinson's, and spinal cord injuries. The latest saga involves using cells from days-old "spare" embryos that are created in infertility treatment process and all are considered unethical and unmoral issues.
Therefore, embryonic stem cell research will be considered unethical and unmoral. This debate on embryonic stem cell research has held on over three decades. The controversy has not ended at this time. The controversy is about the work that holds immense promises from the scientific end and the opponents who view them as giving less value to human life. The most recent debate uses the very early part of development of stem cells for the potential to be alleviate conditions ranging from diabetes to Alzheimer's Disease. In 2001 the Bush Administration proclaimed a policy that permits some research with federal funds used with very strict rules. This policy has gathered little support three years later from the
EMBRYONIC STEM CELL RESEARCH Page 3 public and among the scientific community. In 1954 scientists were awarded for working on cultures of human fetal kidney cells which led to polio vaccine and given the Nobel Prize for Medicine. All of this involves a mix of policy making including administration officials, Congress and expert review panels. With more understanding of congenital heart disease and tissue from aborted fetuses led to polio vaccine. This research was halted until guidelines and safeguards were put into