Panacea

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Panacea

Panacea- n. a cure for all ills, a universal remedy [Webster’s 724]. Embryonic stem cell research has been one of the most heavily and intensely debated topics in the past five to ten years. Although it is not literally a cure for all sicknesses, it holds the key to the most exciting medical advances in the last 100 years. The controversy surrounding stem cell research is such a huge deal because of the moral dilemma surrounding it. There is no doubt that everybody would like to have cures for ailments ranging from paralysis to Alzheimer’s but they must be willing to side with science for the betterment of mankind.

Too many people form an opinion on stem cell research without understanding what it is. In the 1960’s, Canadian scientists Ernest McCulloh and James Till discovered the idea of stem cells. A human embryo starts out as a blastocyst, which a formation of a hollow ball of cells [Firpo par.3]. The cells then develop into specialized cells. Each group of specialized cells has specific jobs in the human body. The groups of cells continue to divide and grow into similar cells. Embryonic stem cells are special because as embryo, they have not yet become specialized. This means they have the ability to divide into any type of specialized cell. In other words, embryonic stem cells are heart cells, brain cells, skin cells, or any other type of cell. In 1998, when Wisconsin biologist James Thomson successfully isolated and grew embryonic stem cells, it became a realistic possibility that these stem cells could be used for possible cures to vast numbers of diseases [Haymer 3]. It was then thought that the potentials of stem cell research were unlimited.

The controversy surrounding stem cell research is...

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...nt spends will reflect how much public support is received. “We are awaiting public comment about how to handle that tricky issue,” James Battey, vice chair of the NIH, said in an interview [Connolly 2].

Our country’s citizens need to understand what stem cells are and grasp the potential possibilities of embryonic stem cell research. The outdated values of too many people are holding back the attainability of the goals of modern science to make a dramatic improvement of the quality of life for mankind. “This shouldn’t have to be a moral issue. Stem cell lines are being discarded by fertility clinics. Isn’t it better to salvage them for the promise of hope […]” [American News par.9]. By understanding what stem cells are and the reasons to support their research, hopefully our country will cross the fence and support embryonic stem cell research.

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