Pros and Cons of Embryonic Stem Cell Research

Most people are against Embryonic Stem Cell research mainly because they consider it unethical to use aborted fetuses for research. The two main issues concerning the research are the ethics (Cons) and the benefits (Pros). In any scientific case, ethics must always be considered. But the use of fetuses is something that is of the utmost importance. The costs are generally measured based off of people’s feelings, morals, and knowledge about the subject up for debate. The use of aborted fetuses for stem cell research may have many positive outcomes that can come of it, but many negative outcomes as well; If using aborted fetuses for research can, in the near future, save lives, then it is a research that should be supported, even though some people may see this type of research as something on the complete opposite side of the spectrum from the way they view abortion.

What are Stem Cells and what do they do? Stem cells are cells made of the bodies “raw materials” and are the only type of cells in the body that have “a natural ability to generate new cell types.”(“Stem Cell Transplant”) Stem Cells have the potential to treat or cure a wide range of diseases and disorders, such as: Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, etc., that affect billions of people worldwide. With a subject such as embryonic stem cell research, whether or not the costs outweigh the benefits is subjective and the cost of life is impossible to measure.

Since adult stem cells cannot do much for research or clinical use, researching ways that embryonic stem cells can be used has become a necessity. Adult stem cells can produce only a limited number of cell types, while embryonic cells have an unlimited capacity for self-renewal and can be used to replace damag...

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