Stem Cell Research: Yes or No?

Stem cell research could be a scientific miracle, or it could be an unethical disaster. This debate between medical science and ethical judgment has been going on for years, and has recently become a major topic. Not too long ago, the stem cell research funding was cut off by President Bush. He explained his actions by stating, "If this bill would have become law, American taxpayers would, for the first time in our history, be compelled to fund the deliberate destruction of human embryos. And I'm not going to allow it"(Stem Cells Timeline) Ever since the discovery of cells that can replicate a specialized cell and self-renew by mitosis, also called stem cells, scientists have been wondering where the research might go. Now that the funding has been somewhat restored by President Obama, scientists in the U.S. have a chance to find out. However, the funding restored might not be enough. The first official trial of human embryonic cells was halted when the company, Geron©, ran out of funding in 2011. There’s been very little effort in using stem cells to heal injuries, and more efforts toward finding an alternative to embryonic stem cells. There is plenty of potential in the use of stem cells, but it is mostly speculation due to ethical issues. The research that could be done using stem cells could potentially cure several diseases, so we must continue further studies. There are two main types of stem cells; they are called adult and embryonic stem cells. Adult stem cells can be found in some tissues and organs. They are called adult stem cells because they are from an organism that is fully formed. They can be found in children as well as adults, and there is no controversy due to the fact they don’t require the destruction of embryos. Embryonic stem cells are the center of the controversy. Most embryonic stem cells are derived from embryos that develop from eggs that have been fertilized in vitro—in an in vitro fertilization clinic—and then donated for research