Stem Cell Research: The Case of Roe vs. Wade in 1973

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Stem cell research has always been a widely debated topic in 'social and political forums' ever since the case of Roe vs. Wade in 1973. In that case the Supreme Court gave women the right to have an abortion whether or not they have a medical reason to. Whereas beforehand 'they needed a medical reason'. This "sparked controversy" over stem cell research with aborted fetuses. For many of those in favor of using fetal tissue for research it has too much "potential" in the future of medicine in terms of providing cures for diseases and "". Those against fetal tissue research believe it unethical to take one human life in order to preserve another. When the issue of stem cell research was under scrutiny pro-life advocates exposed experiments from the late 60's and early 70's that had a profoundly "grotesque" quality (Maynard-Moody 15). For example in one experiment several fetuses had their heads removed and scientists observed the effects of starvation of the brain. These revelations gained the pro-life advocates a lot of support and mad the topic of fetal tissue research very "controversial". The controversy was revived when President Bill Clinton took office and "rescinded" President Bush's ban on fetal tissue stem cell research. Before Clinton all presidents. Were pro-life and many took measures to restrict or stop stem cell research (Steinbock 170-71). At first fetal tissue stem cell research was "conducted without and scrutiny from the public sector" but after Roe vs Wade things got a little more heated. In 1928 Italian researchers performed the first ever, documented, "procedure" with fetal tissue where doctor took the pancreas of a fetus and "put it in" a patient with diabetes to see if the patients condition would improve how... ... middle of paper ... ... research can provide there is a lack of alternatives to stem cell research. Tissue that was harvested from stillborn fetus' typically have a genetic defect or are unusable because the fetus was dead weeks before it was removed from the woman that carried it (O’Neil 118). Scientists would not use "Irregular" tissue because it could lead to unforeseen problems in testing down the line. A study performed by "" showed that miscarried fetuses were only useable for treating patients 3.8 percent of the time (). Doctors in favor of stem cell research believe that allowing the use of aborted fetuses will speed up research leading to breakthroughs that can save many thousands of future lives. Stem cells from bone marrow. One of the stronger arguments against the use of aborted fetuses is that an alternative source would be simpler and more efficient source of stem cells.

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