The Ethicality of Using Stem Cells

What are Stem cells?

Stem Cells are defined as cells that are capable of developing into different varieties of tissue present in the body of a fully-formed organism. They are broken into 2 categories: Embryonic and Adult stem cells. Stem cells, more specifically embryonic stem cells possess the ability to regenerate all types of cells including neural cells which are destroyed when you have a stroke preventing the development of many diseases and disorders. Countless medical advances have been made because of stem cell research. They have developed into proven routine treatments such as bone marrow transplants. Bone marrow transplants are treatments that help thousands of people with diseases each year. What is even more promising is embryonic stem cells. Embryonic Stem cells have been particularly important to research because they are pluripotent, which means that they can be turned into any type of cell in the entire body.

Benefits of Stem cells

Stem cell research has the potential to provide almost limitless benefits to medicine and human health. Stem cells make it possible to create spare organs and other body parts saving people with dysfunctional kidneys or livers. Stem cells work by creating human tissue for use in treatment of diseases such as cancer. In the not too distant future stem cell research can provide cures to diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, juvenile diabetes and even for spinal cord injuries. The cures that stem cells have would eliminate the enormous suffering that came from these diseases and injuries. They have the potential to evolve into any type of human tissue, providing opportunities for scientists to develop treatment for illnesses or mental disorders that were previously incurable. Scientists can make use of embryonic stem cells to test the effects of certain drugs or other substances on the cellular level. Through previously completed research, we know that stem cells have the ability to treat and even possibly cure Alzheimer’s, diabetes, as well as many other previously incurable illnesses. The purpose of these cells is that they can be developed from individuals who have genetic disorders like juvenile diabetes, Parkinson’s, and muscular dystrophy. Having Stem cells with these defects could dramatically help scientists in their efforts to understand the basic underlying problems in cells with these mutations. Stem cells offer a unique window into cell development, they can shed light on how development goes awry in serious diseases. Although Stem cells are found in adults, stem cells that are taken from human embryos may be the most promising. In studies of mice over almost 20 years, embryonic stem cells have displayed a nearly limitless ability to replace ailing cells ( the embryonic stem cells from mice have generated new cells for years). Last December, researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine, in St, Louis, transplanted stem cells into spines of paralyzed rats. The stem cells replaced missing nerve cells in the rats’ injured spines enameling the animals to walk once again.

The Case Against Stem Cells

Many people oppose the use of stem cells citing ethical or religious issues with the process. The Catholic Church strictly opposes the usage of stem cells from embryos even if they are destroyed, believing there is no way to use them without completing an immoral act. There is also the debate of whether or not embryos can be considered as humans. It poses the question: When would a human organism acquire the full value of rights of a person? Many cite the lack of knowledge about stem cells to be sufficient to stop the experimentation. There are also concerns about the Human Genome Project (identified and mapped structure of human DNA), violating privacy, disqualification for insurance, as well as possibility to predict some aspects of one’s health at birth, and starts the argument of Eugenics. This level of genetic manipulation is very highly contested and it is a very polarizing topic in regard to its ethicality and opposition to natural human nature.

The Case for Stem Cells

Although many fiercely oppose Stem cell research, it has many supporters as well. Citing the separation of church and state, many believe it is not fair to force our entire society not to reap the benefits of stem cell research due to one religious group's beliefs. They believe it is not fair to the many people in society as we all do not have the same beliefs and religion and should not be held to another religion's beliefs or standards. The embryos from which stem cells have been extracted are ones that have been destroyed, and sit frozen until they are used. Furthermore, the embryos that are destroyed are those whose parents intended to dispose of them anyway. They argue that these embryos never had a chance in life to make decisions or choices that would classify them as fully able humans with the ability to make use of their rights. Simply allowing these embryos to be destroyed without making any scientific progress using them is a waste. On average, about 30 stem cells can be extracted from a single embryo, and these destroyed embryos can be restored to accumulate and form even more embryos that scientists can make use of for their research. The only issue with this is the lack of funding being put into research facilities. Due to this lack of funding, a big issue with the research conducted is the validity of it. In a lot of instances, the certain amount of embryos allocated to research facilities included some embryos that were unsuitable for research, and some didn’t even display the “markers” that indicate that there are stem cells present. This is the result of not enough money being put into stem cell research, leading to inefficient research. If we want to see a cure to more diseases and disorders such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s, we need to put more funding into these facilities. They argue the opposition point that numerous lives will be at risk, citing the potential lives Stem cells could save. The effects of neurological disorders, cardiovascular diseases, as well as other types of illness must be considered. In total, 50 million people suffer from cardiovascular diseases, 4 million suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, 1.5 million suffer from Parkinson’s disease, and so on in the United States alone. All of these numbers most definitely result in a number much higher than the amount of embryos that would, and could be used in stem cell research. They believe that even if the process of extracting stem cells from destroyed embryos is immoral to certain religions, religious faiths should not be preventing medical advancements by society.

The Ethicality of Using Stem Cells

What are Stem cells?

Stem Cells are defined as cells that are capable of developing into different varieties of tissue present in the body of a fully-formed organism. They are broken into 2 categories: Embryonic and Adult stem cells. Stem cells, more specifically embryonic stem cells possess the ability to regenerate all types of cells including neural cells which are destroyed when you have a stroke preventing the development of many diseases and disorders. Countless medical advances have been made because of stem cell research. They have developed into proven routine treatments such as bone marrow transplants. Bone marrow transplants are treatments that help thousands of people with diseases each year. What is even more promising is embryonic stem cells. Embryonic Stem cells have been particularly important to research because they are pluripotent, which means that they can be turned into any type of cell in the entire body.

Benefits of Stem cells

Stem cell research has the potential to provide almost limitless benefits to medicine and human health. Stem cells make it possible to create spare organs and other body parts saving people with dysfunctional kidneys or livers. Stem cells work by creating human tissue for use in treatment of diseases such as cancer. In the not too distant future stem cell research can provide cures to diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, juvenile diabetes and even for spinal cord injuries. The cures that stem cells have would eliminate the enormous suffering that came from these diseases and injuries. They have the potential to evolve into any type of human tissue, providing opportunities for scientists to develop treatment for illnesses or mental disorders that were previously incurable. Scientists can make use of embryonic stem cells to test the effects of certain drugs or other substances on the cellular level. Through previously completed research, we know that stem cells have the ability to treat and even possibly cure Alzheimer’s, diabetes, as well as many other previously incurable illnesses. The purpose of these cells is that they can be developed from individuals who have genetic disorders like juvenile diabetes, Parkinson’s, and muscular dystrophy. Having Stem cells with these defects could dramatically help scientists in their efforts to understand the basic underlying problems in cells with these mutations. Stem cells offer a unique window into cell development, they can shed light on how development goes awry in serious diseases. Although Stem cells are found in adults, stem cells that are taken from human embryos may be the most promising. In studies of mice over almost 20 years, embryonic stem cells have displayed a nearly limitless ability to replace ailing cells ( the embryonic stem cells from mice have generated new cells for years). Last December, researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine, in St, Louis, transplanted stem cells into spines of paralyzed rats. The stem cells replaced missing nerve cells in the rats’ injured spines enameling the animals to walk once again.

The Case Against Stem Cells

Many people oppose the use of stem cells citing ethical or religious issues with the process. The Catholic Church strictly opposes the usage of stem cells from embryos even if they are destroyed, believing there is no way to use them without completing an immoral act. There is also the debate of whether or not embryos can be considered as humans. It poses the question: When would a human organism acquire the full value of rights of a person? Many cite the lack of knowledge about stem cells to be sufficient to stop the experimentation. There are also concerns about the Human Genome Project (identified and mapped structure of human DNA), violating privacy, disqualification for insurance, as well as possibility to predict some aspects of one’s health at birth, and starts the argument of Eugenics. This level of genetic manipulation is very highly contested and it is a very polarizing topic in regard to its ethicality and opposition to natural human nature.

The Case for Stem Cells

Although many fiercely oppose Stem cell research, it has many supporters as well. Citing the separation of church and state, many believe it is not fair to force our entire society not to reap the benefits of stem cell research due to one religious group's beliefs. They believe it is not fair to the many people in society as we all do not have the same beliefs and religion and should not be held to another religion's beliefs or standards. The embryos from which stem cells have been extracted are ones that have been destroyed, and sit frozen until they are used. Furthermore, the embryos that are destroyed are those whose parents intended to dispose of them anyway. They argue that these embryos never had a chance in life to make decisions or choices that would classify them as fully able humans with the ability to make use of their rights. Simply allowing these embryos to be destroyed without making any scientific progress using them is a waste. On average, about 30 stem cells can be extracted from a single embryo, and these destroyed embryos can be restored to accumulate and form even more embryos that scientists can make use of for their research. The only issue with this is the lack of funding being put into research facilities. Due to this lack of funding, a big issue with the research conducted is the validity of it. In a lot of instances, the certain amount of embryos allocated to research facilities included some embryos that were unsuitable for research, and some didn’t even display the “markers” that indicate that there are stem cells present. This is the result of not enough money being put into stem cell research, leading to inefficient research. If we want to see a cure to more diseases and disorders such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s, we need to put more funding into these facilities. They argue the opposition point that numerous lives will be at risk, citing the potential lives Stem cells could save. The effects of neurological disorders, cardiovascular diseases, as well as other types of illness must be considered. In total, 50 million people suffer from cardiovascular diseases, 4 million suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, 1.5 million suffer from Parkinson’s disease, and so on in the United States alone. All of these numbers most definitely result in a number much higher than the amount of embryos that would, and could be used in stem cell research. They believe that even if the process of extracting stem cells from destroyed embryos is immoral to certain religions, religious faiths should not be preventing medical advancements by society.