The Ongoing Debate Over the Use of Stem Cells

1329 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Arguments in favor of stem cells

In the past two decades, many technological and scientific advances have been made in order to make life easier for many people who suffer from cancer, disease and sickness. Among these advances there is something revolutionary called stem cells. Stem cells can help restore and regenerate almost all parts of the human body such as the heart, kidney, liver, and many other organs. Although stem cells offer a lot, there are many views against and for stem cells, and among these views lies the debate of whether stem cells should be legalized or not (NIH 2). Stem cells offer exciting new opportunities in the field of science such as regenerating human body parts, but many people are still debating whether or not the use of stem cells is moral because using stem cells requires the destruction of embryos, and if embryos are not destroyed, then stem cells from bone marrow are used, which is often a very painful process (NIH 3).

In order to understand why stem cells are so controversial and how they can benefit most humans across the world, one must have a background and understanding of stem cells. There are two types of stem cells; somatic stem cells and embryonic stem cells (NIH 3). Somatic stem cells are commonly referred to as adult stem cells because the name of comes from where they originate. Adult stem cells come from adults, and although adult stem cells do not have as much information as embryonic stem cells acquired by scientists yet, they are legal and used everyday in hospitals. Adult stem cells are only known to exist in bone marrow currently, but scientists believe that there may be stem cells in the brain and heart. Embryonic stem cells are unspecialized cells and can form into other specialized cells. Embryonic...

... middle of paper ...

... different forms of stem cells including embryonic stem cells, adult (or iPScs) stem cells, and most uncommonly used, umbilical cord stem cells. Stem cells may provide organs and tissues in the near future, but this is doubted due to the fact that many people believe that life starts when conception occurs, causing many scientists to think that destroying an embryo is immoral and considered murder. Although there are many positive effects of studying stem cells, there are still many controversial debates of whether or not scientists should study the process of making unspecialized stem cells into specialized stem cells, because for the people who believe that life starts at conception, is basically studying the murder of humans. Stem cells may provide regenerative medicine in the future, and it is highly likely that there will still be debates over this matter.

Show More
Related

  • Should Stem Cells Be Used In Medical Research Essay

    604 Words  | 2 Pages

    Stem cells are the building blocks of the human body. Embryos consist of unspecialized stem cells that transform into the various specialized cells in the body such as cardiac, muscle or bone cells. Fetuses also have stem cells. However, the stem cells are divided into types like muscle, bone or nerves and don't perform a specialized function. Surprisingly, adult bodies also contain stem cells. In adults, stem cells are undifferentiated but limited to specific tissue type. When needed, the stem cells transform into the cells needed for repair and maintenance. The most common source of adult stem cells is bone marrow. Researchers also acquire stem cells from umbilical cords. Without stem cells, embryos could not develop into fetuses and adult

    Read More

  • Stem Cell Research: Beneficial or Dangerous?

    552 Words  | 2 Pages

    Over the past decade scientist and the U.S government have been debating about funds for stem cell research (SCR), the amount spent depends on who is in office. The Democratic Party fully supports SCR, but the Republican Party somewhat opposes the concept of SCR, arfuing it violates the Christian principle of life. As a result, this topic is considered controversial, but also beneficial if allowed. Despite the controversy, SCR should be well funded for medicinal use, because blank stem cells (SC) can be used to regenerate bones and muscle tissue, they can be used to control or even reverse neurodegenerative disease, and because they can be used for therapeutic cloning.

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of Stem Cell Controversy

    986 Words  | 2 Pages

    Stem cell therapy is a controversial topic that falls on the list of things not to discuss over thanksgiving dinner, very much like religion and politics. While the potential of stem cell research and therapy stand to make leaps of progression in cures for disease like Cancer and Alzheimer’s; Pros, Cons and morality still surround the issue.

    Read More

  • The Debate Concerning Embryonic Stem Cell Research

    1400 Words  | 3 Pages

    One of the most heated political battles in the United States in recent years has been over the morality of embryonic stem cell research. The embryonic stem cell debate has polarized the country into those who argue that such research holds promises of ending a great deal of human suffering and others who condemn such research as involving the abortion of a potential human life. If any answer to the ethical debate surrounding this particular aspect of stem cell research exists, it is a hazy one at best. The question facing many scientists and policymakers involved in embryonic stem cell research is, which is more valuable – the life of a human suffering from a potentially fatal illness or injury, or the life of human at one week of development? While many argue that embryonic stem cell research holds the potential of developing cures for a number of illnesses that affect many individuals, such research is performed at the cost of destroying a life and should therefore not be pursued.

    Read More

  • Stem Cell Research Debate

    1200 Words  | 3 Pages

    Stem cell research is a heavily debated topic that can stir trouble in even the tightest of Thanksgiving tables. The use cells found in the cells of embryos to replicate dead or dying cells is a truly baffling thought. To many, stem cell research has the potential to be Holy Grail of modern medicine. To many others, it is ultimately an unethical concept regardless of its capabilities. Due to how divided people are on the topic of stem cell research, its legality and acceptance are different everywhere. According to Utilitarianism, stem cell research should be permitted due to the amount of people it can save, however according to the Divine Command of Christianity, the means of collecting said stem cells are immoral and forbidden.

    Read More

  • The Ethical Considerations of Stem Cell research

    1604 Words  | 4 Pages

    There are three types of stem cells. Embryonic stem cells which are taken from a fertilized egg, somatic stem cells are fully matured cells taken from an adult, and the more recently founded pluripotent stem cells which are those that can be induced through experimentation to take on specific functions (NIH, 2013).

    Read More

  • Embryonic Stem Cell Essay

    1043 Words  | 3 Pages

    Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that can differentiate themselves into specific cell type. There are two types of stem cells. The first one is the adult's stem cell. These stem cells can be found in various places in an adult human body, like the brain, the bone marrow or the liver. The other type of stem cells is the embryonic stem cells. These cells are found in embryos before its implantation in the mother's uterus. At this stage the embryo is divided in two types of cell. The first one is the outer cluster of cell that forms the embryo that will become part of the placenta once the embryo hatch. And the inner cluster is the source of embryonic stem cell since it consists of undifferentiated cell that will divide and differentiate to form all the organs and tissue needed in an adult organism. As stem cell are undifferentiated cell they can become whatever cell type is needed in an organism and could be the solution to diseases that are, at this date, incurable. (Medical News Today, 2013). Most of the ethic's problem of the stem cells researches come from the embryonic stem cell researches and how the cells are collected. Embryonic stem cells can be obtained in several ways. The first one is after a couple's fertility treatment, there might be some embryos left and the couple can decide to donate their embryos to research. The second option is to collect stem cells from a foetus after an abortion. And the last possibility is to use therapeutic cloning. Using an ovum from witch the nucleus was taken off and the nucleus of a somatic cell, the origin of this cell in the body doesn't matter, it can come from the skin for example, it is possible to create an embryo and get the stem cell from the created embryo. But in all of...

    Read More

  • Stem Cells Should Not Be Used Therapeutically

    822 Words  | 2 Pages

    The ethical issues behind the method in which stem cells are obtained out weigh the benefits of stem cell therapy. We should not try to play God, in the aspect of creation of living beings just to be sacrificed for the “betterment of mankind”. Many egregious acts have been committed under the guise of “the greater good”. This is one instance in which the ends do not justify the means.

    Read More

  • Stem cell and polio research

    627 Words  | 2 Pages

    Stem Cells are cells that scientist have began to try and use to help people. “In the mid 1800s it was discovered that cells were basically the building blocks of life and that some cells had the ability to produce other cells.” With the discovery of stem cells came the opening to a new area of development in what could be done with health and medicine of the world. Of course throughout history, stem cells have been a very heated subject between different groups of people who believe it is right or wrong. Some people believe that this form of research is against ethical or moral values. They too see this as being wrong because they view human embryos as a form of life. These cells are neutral cells that can be turned into any other one that is needed at the time. Stem cells can make more of themselves when they aren’t being used allowing them to be ready when something happens. In the human body, stem cells help repair the tissue that has been broken, torn, or lost. They help fix bones, heal abrasions, and even repair internal organs if needed. Scientist have the ability now to mani...

    Read More

  • Stem Cell Research Essay

    1380 Words  | 3 Pages

    Stem cells are an ongoing research project in which new discoveries are being made about them, and researchers are learning how to use them in new ways. The three current kinds of stem cells all prove to have their own challenges when it comes to using them. The important thing is finding out which stem cell is right for the patient and how much of an ethical concern there is when it comes to using the stem cell. As we learn the best way to use them and they become more popular in the medical field, stem cells will become a new weapon in the fight against certain diseases.

    Read More

  • The Pros and Cons of Stem Cell Research

    932 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...oll(2010), around 33% of U.S. voters believe that taxpayers’ money should be spent on embryonic stem cell research and more than 50% of the voters disagree that taxpayers’ money should go the research(Roe, 2010). Hence, it is believed that government should not fund the stem cell research.

    Read More

  • Stem Cell Research

    973 Words  | 2 Pages

    Within the past few years, scientist have made several breakthroughs with human stem cells. These breakthroughs have catapulted the issue of stem cell research into the middle of a national debate. Most people have no problem with the research itself, however the source of the stem cells (adult or human embryos) used in research is the primary cause of the debate. Some people feel that destroying an embryo is comparable to murder, even if the research it promotes may help people with serious illnesses. Other believe that an embryo is not a person and therefore research on an embryo is the same as research on any other group of cells.

    Read More

  • Embryonic Stem Cell Research Persuasive Essay

    2065 Words  | 5 Pages

    Could you imagine being able to create new organs, tissues, muscles, and even food? With embryonic stem cell technology, believe it or not, these things are possible. Stem cells are the body's raw materials. Specifically, they are cells from which all other cells with specialized functions are generated. Under the right conditions in the body or in a laboratory, stem cells can divide to form more cells called daughter cells. These daughter cells either become new stem cells or turn into specialized cells with a more specific function, such as blood cells, brain cells, muscle cells or bone cells. The possibilities are almost endless. The debate and main issue with this technology is that the actual stem cells come from embryos. Embryos are an unborn or unhatched offspring in the process of development. Although there is controversy surrounding these cells, embryonic stem cells should continue to be researched and used, because they have so much potential.

    Read More

  • Stem Cells Essay

    669 Words  | 2 Pages

    Stem cells come from adult stem cells, and embryonic cells. Embryonic (blastocyst) stem cells come from embryos that are usually three to five days old. They contain 150 cells that are useable for stem cell research. These embryos are usually created as in vitro fertilization (a bunch of eggs that are fertilized but only one is put inside of a woman). Reproduction happens when a male’s sperm is fertilized in a woman’s egg to create a zygote (cell). Scientists can verify the cells are embryonic by them being able to be duplicated and the cells ability to become other cell types; this makes embryonic cells flexible. Adult stem cells are found in adult tissues in very small numbers. These cells are only used in certain areas where they are found such as bone marrow or adipose tissue (fat).

    Read More

  • Moral and Ethical Issues Relating to Stem Cells Research

    853 Words  | 2 Pages

    Stem cells offer exciting promise for future therapies, but significant technical hurdles remain that will only be overcome through years of intensive research. Stem Cells have the incredible potential to develop into many different cell types in the body during early life and growth. Scientists primarily work with two kinds of stem cells from animals and humans. The embryonic stem cells and the non-embryonic stem cells. Stem cells are the cells from which all other cells originate. In a human embryo, a large portion of the embryo’s cells are stem cells. These stem cells can be used for cell-based therapies. Cell-Based therapies are treatments in which stem cells are induced to differentiate into the specific cell type required to repair damaged or destroyed cells or tissues. Stem cells are versatile and offer the possibility to treat a number of diseases including Alzheimer’s, stroke, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, etc. The problem is that for the process of embryonic stem cell research and embryo will be destroyed if used. This raises a moral issue and questions of whether stem cell research is unethical or not.

    Read More

More about The Ongoing Debate Over the Use of Stem Cells

Open Document