Specific in reproductive cloning- developing into an embryo which can be implanted into a gestational surrogate and carried to term. The egg is allowed to grow into…
The real controversy in stem cell research lays in the termination (abortion) of the embryo, which is an entirely independent debate altogether. The embryonic stem cells extracted for research are being derived from embryos that are being aborted regardless (Johansen). Therefore, there is a macrocosmic debate more powerful than the one about stem cell research itself. By harvesting these stem cells from babies predestined to abortion, at least a contribution is being made to society – one that can benefit a multitude of people, perhaps suffering from a multitude of conditions. Even if one wants to debate the ethics of stem cell research, the researchers are being ethically unethical, with regard to the abortions guaranteed to take place.…
i. Therapeutic cloning ( embryo cloning) is the production of embryos for use in reseach…
Doctors, researchers, patients and virtually anyone interested in the future of medicine are intrigued by the key role human embryonic stem cell research could have in curing well-known diseases such as cancer. As much as people are curious about how it could advance medicine in incredible ways, there remains the issue of whether finding a cure using human embryos is ethically sound. The answer to this question is heavily dependent on what status society should accord to the human embryo. Bonnie Steinbock’s “The science, policy, and ethics of stem cell research” is an article published on Reproductive BioMedicine Online that digs deep into this ongoing ethical conflict.…
Most of the controversy surrounding embryonic stem cell research stems from the idea that the destruction of human embryos is equivalent to killing a human being. While I do believe human life is sacred and should be protected at all costs, I also believe that if there’s a way to cure millions of people of disease then we should assess how we should go about doing that. To me, curing grandpa’s lung disease using four to five day old blastocysts seems like a reasonable option in comparison to letting him die and rendering the embryos utterly useless as they’ll sit in a freezer or be eventually thrown away. Right to Life Michigan argues that scientists shouldn’t use embryonic stem cell research because 90% of couples choose to use their embryos for future pregnancies (If They Say… You Say…). In reality, the government requires complete disclosure to the couple and their consent before scientists can do anything with their embryos (National Institutes of Health Guidelines on Human Stem Cell Research). The benefit of helping sick and ailing people is exponentially greater than letting embryonic stem cells sit and collect…
Imagine your life at the age of 32. It is as perfect as you could have ever imagined it. You are married with three beautiful children; two girls and a boy. Your oldest daughter is complaining of stumbling and clumsiness, so you take her to the doctor. You are devastated to learn that she, along with your other two children, have a neurological disorder called Batten Disease. This is a rare but always fatal disease. You are now going to have to go through what no parent ever wants to go through. You will have to watch your children wilt away like flowers. They will go blind, lose all motor skills, suffer from dementia and die a horrific, prolonged death. You will have to bury not only one, but all three of your children. This is a story of the Pinder family, whose children I went to school with. The oldest two children, both girls, are now deceased, and the youngest, a boy, is progressively getting worse. Unfortunately there is no cure for this disease on the market yet. The FDA has recently approved a clinical trial to use brain stem cells of fetal tissue to treat this disease; however the funding for stem cell research is either non-existent, or tied up in the court systems due to ethical and moral issues (Stem-Cell Funding’s). Even with the release of the funds for embryonic stem cell research, it would be too late to treat the last Pinder child. After seeing this family go through the loss of two children, and waiting in emotional turmoil for the death of their last child, I am for the study and research of embryonic stem cells. I hope that it could one day save families from the pain the Pinder’s are currently in.…
Embryonic stem cells can potentially cause tumors due to the rapid growth when injected into adults. Another big issue with the research of the embryonic stem cells is that in the far future, this could lead to the knowledge on human cloning. Seeing as embryonic stem cells come from the embryos, adult stem cells biggest advantage is that the body’s own stem cells can be used, effectively removing the problems of immune rejection or abnormalities. Many people who are religious would argue that harvesting the embryo is against belief. This is a main controversy because these people believe that the four-five day old embryo has a soul and is evidently murdered when harvested. They believe that the research on these cells violates the sanctuary of life. Their argument is that the embryo in the situation is a potential human being and see the fertilized egg as starting a…
Embryonic stem cell research is widely controversial in the scientific world. Issues on the ethics of Embryonic Stem (ES) cell research have created pandemonium in our society. The different views on this subject are well researched and supportive. The facts presented have the capability to support or possibly change the public's perspective. This case study is based on facts and concerns that much of the research done on embryonic stem cells is derived from human embryos. This case study will provide others with a more in depth view of both sides of this great debate.…
Life is defined as the existence of an individual human being or animal. There is a plethora of controversy about when life truly starts. Does it start right when the sperm meets the egg? Does it start when the fetus develops enough to feel? Most have their own opinion on this topic, but if “killing” an embryo can save lives it might be worth it. General stem cell research has been going on for many years, but due to cut funding, advancements have been inhibited. It was cut because embryonic stem cells research is considered unethical, but embryonic stem cells open a whole new realm of possibilities. The debate of using these stem cells has been argued for a long period of time. Certain stem cell research may be considered unethical, but the…
Scientists and others who share a utilitarian stance support stem cell research by claiming the ethical cost is low compared to a high benefit. The benefits of…
The first task of dissecting this debate is to differentiate between the two types of stem cell research. The first is adult (also called somatic or germ-line) stem cell research and is generally accepted and endorsed by all groups. Taken from human bone marrow or other deep tissues, this type of research has already been used for years in the treatment of many diseases, most notably Leukemia. Even the Catholic Church supports adult stem cell research, going so far as to partner with certain groups to further adult stem cell research funding. The disagreement lies in embryonic stem cell research. In embryonic stem cell research, a human embryo is created and then destroyed in order to obtain the intended stem cells. The circumstances which make the embryonic cells more desirable are two-fold. First, technology for embryonic stem cell research is currently farther along than somatic cell research; and therefore, it is cheaper. The more important distinction is in the quality of the cells collected. Adult…
One of the biggest political debates of recent times is whether the government should not only allow, but appropriate funds for the research of all types of stem cells mainly the embryonic stem cell. A stem cell is a primitive type of cell that can be manipulated into developing into most of the cells present in the body. Scientists believe that the stem cell is the single most important element in the cure of many diseases, which include heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's, and some types of cancer. Stem cells can be extracted from both adults and young embryos. The differences of an embryonic stem cell and an adult stem cell in most peoples eyes are that cells can be extracted from adults for research without harm to adult, but those extracted from embryos are the result of the destruction of the embryo. Scientists believe that although adult stem cells can be helpful in the research in disease, those cells are inferior to those of a human embryo because the embryonic stem cell can developing in almost all the types of cells in the body, but the adult variety is limited in how many cells it can develop into. The Coalition for the advancement of Medical Research estimates, " stem cell research shows promise to develop cures and/or new treatments for 100 million Americans who currently suffer from a wide variety of diseases and disorders."…
Although there is no doubt that certain diseases could be treated if this therapy is successful, there are contrasting viewpoints concerning the issue. Currently, scientists all over the nation are struggling to gain clearance to experiment with embryonic stem cells. On one side arguers say that embryonic stem cell research is morally acceptable because any therapy that can lead to curing serious diseases is beneficial to the common good. They argue that embryonic stem cells are not yet individuals therefore they have no soul and no rights to speak of. Even the arguers that believe stem cells could possibly be considered individuals, would say that such a small sacrifice would be worth the advances at stake. They say that if such a leap can be made in medicine, then it is the scientists ' and doctors ' duty to do everything in their power to make people well. Advocates of stem cell research would argue that it would be unethical not to proceed with this research. For every advocate of stem cell research there is an…
From a scientist’s point of view, embryonic stem cells have a huge potential to revolutionize the field of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering as they hold the ability to produce all cell lineages including the germ line. This would provide the gateway for the treatment of a wide range of diseases where the body is incapable of repairing itself. However, some people especially religious communities hold strong objections regarding the use of human embryos in scientific research (De Wert, 2003) (Orive, 2003). The main point being that since “new life begins at the point of conception”, the embryo should hold full human rights (Daley, G.Q. et al., 2007). Nevertheless, there are different legislations in place in different countries regarding the use of human embryonic stem cells. In UK, embryonic stem cell research can only be carried out with authority from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority…
In this two-part viewpoint, David A. Prentice and William Saunders discuss the science and the ethics of therapeutic cloning. In the first part, Prentice argues that creating clones for the purpose of embryonic stem cell research, called "therapeutic cloning," is no different from reproductive cloning, which creates a living human child. Also, he points out, therapeutic cloning is not therapeutic for the embryo. In the second part of the viewpoint, Saunders builds on Prentice's argument and goes even…