Preview

Stem Cell Therapy: Miracle Cure or Moral Transgressions?

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
679 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Stem Cell Therapy: Miracle Cure or Moral Transgressions?
The issue of stem cells is currently the dominant subject in the debate of biotechnology and human genetics: Should embryonic or adult stem cells be used for potential medical therapies? Stem cells are an undifferentiated cluster of cells which, depending on their surrounding conditions, are capable of developing into other types of cells (Perry 20). The expression "stem cell" refers to a type of cell that not only produces various types of additional cells, but also has the ability to replicate itself (Marzilli 13). Embryonic stem cells are drawn from a developing human life (Panno 145). Adult stem cells, on the other hand, are located in all tissues of the growing human being and also have the potential to alter themselves into practically all other cell types or revert to being stem cells with greater reproductive capacity (145). Their potential for misuse has raised a number of ethical issues. Even though stem research is views as unethical in the eyes of many people for the reason of their beliefs or religious values, many others see it morally acceptable because embryonic or adult stem cells can be used for upcoming medical therapies and can possibly treat or cure a variety of many serious diseases.

Doctors and scientist are enthusiastic about stem cells because they have potential benefit in many different areas of health and medical research. Many scientists believe that embryonic stem cell research, which involves removing stem cells from early stages of human embryos and then transferring the cells into other cell types, may lead to new ways to fight diseases. Stem cells are one of the human body's master cells that can provide powerful new methods for treating an array of medical disorders: spinal cord injuries, Diabetes, Heart Disease, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Lou Gehrig's disease, Lung Disease, Arthritis, Sickle Cell Anemia, and Organ Failure (Perry 23). An understanding of where things go 'wrong' in stem cell division can help

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Embryonic Stem Cell Research Is Not Ethical. Dennis P. Hollinger. At Issue: The Ethics of Genetic Engineering. Ed. Maurya Siedler. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2005.…

    • 2675 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Embryos are essentially microscopic human beings. Regardless of what good they may provide to the field of medicine, the ethical controversies surrounding embryonic stem cell research are profound. Stem cells, the cells used by the human body to replenish damaged tissue, are found in both embryonic and adult form. At the adult level, stem cells can be extracted from bone marrow, but the real ethical debate arises when embryonic stem cells are introduced. “Pluripotent” embryonic stem cells are among the only type that can form any of over 200 cell types, making it the most useful and versatile. These cells are isolated from the inner cell mass of the embryo when extracted, and subsequently terminates the embryo itself, which is technically manslaughter. However, it must also be noted that embryonic stem cell research can provide effective treatments and even cures for those in need of organ transplants and other irremediable predicaments. Therefore, it is safe to say, from a utilitarian perspective, that the essential “death” of one embryo can save the lives of many, and with Jeremy Bentham’s phrase “the greatest good for the greatest number”; I believe that embryonic stem cell research is ethical.…

    • 1044 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “Biomedicine” intends to increase quality of life via new research. One of the recent biomedical research is “Human Stem Cell” from which all 210 different kinds of tissue in the human body originate(the Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity, 94). Additionally, UNESCO states that separating some inner cell mass from the embryo at the blastocyst stage, they can be cultured to produce pluripotent stem cells, capable of developing into blood , muscle, or many other kinds of tissues and organs of the body (13). Thus, at first “Stem Cell” may sound hopeful for human life but…

    • 1187 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Embryonic stem cell research is widely controversial in the scientific world. Issues on the ethics of Embryonic Stem (ES) cell research have created pandemonium in our society. The different views on this subject are well researched and supportive. The facts presented have the capability to support or possibly change the public's perspective. This case study is based on facts and concerns that much of the research done on embryonic stem cells is derived from human embryos. This case study will provide others with a more in depth view of both sides of this great debate.…

    • 1593 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Doctors, researchers, patients and virtually anyone interested in the future of medicine are intrigued by the key role human embryonic stem cell research could have in curing well-known diseases such as cancer. As much as people are curious about how it could advance medicine in incredible ways, there remains the issue of whether finding a cure using human embryos is ethically sound. The answer to this question is heavily dependent on what status society should accord to the human embryo. Bonnie Steinbock’s “The science, policy, and ethics of stem cell research” is an article published on Reproductive BioMedicine Online that digs deep into this ongoing ethical conflict.…

    • 1391 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Best Essays

    Embryonic stem-cell research promises cure for many diseases and further benefits for the overall good of humanity. Moreover, virtually any excuse to ban it comes from vague and illogical ethical and religious doctrines. If this research is banned, it will certainly be detrimental to the progress of medical science and the hopes of millions of people to find a cure for their incurable deadly diseases and other ailments and lead a long life with good health will never be fulfilled. Hence, financial, political as well as social encouragement and support should be provided to embryonic stem-cell research in order to find out new and efficient cures for debilitating diseases and to discover the benefits that embryonic stem-cells may have in store for our overall…

    • 3049 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Good Essays

    Ethics of Stem Cell Research

    • 2751 Words
    • 12 Pages

    The first task of dissecting this debate is to differentiate between the two types of stem cell research. The first is adult (also called somatic or germ-line) stem cell research and is generally accepted and endorsed by all groups. Taken from human bone marrow or other deep tissues, this type of research has already been used for years in the treatment of many diseases, most notably Leukemia. Even the Catholic Church supports adult stem cell research, going so far as to partner with certain groups to further adult stem cell research funding. The disagreement lies in embryonic stem cell research. In embryonic stem cell research, a human embryo is created and then destroyed in order to obtain the intended stem cells. The circumstances which make the embryonic cells more desirable are two-fold. First, technology for embryonic stem cell research is currently farther along than somatic cell research; and therefore, it is cheaper. The more important distinction is in the quality of the cells collected. Adult…

    • 2751 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Two of the most important factors of stem cell research are tissue regeneration and treatment of diseases. Embryonic stem cell research can alter neurological diseases as well as spinal cord injuries. With the use of pluripotent stem cells, researchers can carefully observe the development of cells from fetal development to adulthood. They can pinpoint the precise location where cells begin to malfunction and diseases form. Observing the development of diseases, allows scientists to come up with cures in order to fight the spread and later development. One example of a neurological disease is Parkinson’s. Parkinson’s disease patients suffer from the destruction of cells that produce dopamine, a neurotransmitter. Using embryonic stem cells, researchers were able to formulate new dopamine-producing cells and transplant them into the body, which would relieve their symptoms (Murnaghan). Embryonic stem cells have the potential to replace damaged cells from a resulting injury, adding support to the damage myelin sheath, protecting cells at injury site and inhibiting the spread of the injury. “I truly believe that stem cell research is going to allow our children to look at al and diabetes and other major diseases the way we view polio today, which is as a preventable disease” (Susan Solomon: The promise of stem cell…

    • 3570 Words
    • 15 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    For some time now, stem cell research has been a major issue when it comes to ethics. “Ethics, science and religion became further intertwined with politics in the 1990’s, increasing the battles among congress, administrations, and other agencies” (Scott, 2006, p.153). Stem cell research is probably one of the most important scientific advancements in the past one hundred years.…

    • 1443 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    One of the biggest political debates of recent times is whether the government should not only allow, but appropriate funds for the research of all types of stem cells mainly the embryonic stem cell. A stem cell is a primitive type of cell that can be manipulated into developing into most of the cells present in the body. Scientists believe that the stem cell is the single most important element in the cure of many diseases, which include heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's, and some types of cancer. Stem cells can be extracted from both adults and young embryos. The differences of an embryonic stem cell and an adult stem cell in most peoples eyes are that cells can be extracted from adults for research without harm to adult, but those extracted from embryos are the result of the destruction of the embryo. Scientists believe that although adult stem cells can be helpful in the research in disease, those cells are inferior to those of a human embryo because the embryonic stem cell can developing in almost all the types of cells in the body, but the adult variety is limited in how many cells it can develop into. The Coalition for the advancement of Medical Research estimates, "…stem cell research shows promise to develop cures and/or new treatments for 100 million Americans who currently suffer from a wide variety of diseases and disorders."…

    • 2512 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Stem cell research is defined by eHow as “a developing technology that focuses on using undifferentiated cells therapeutically to treat human disease and injury. Stem cells are primitive or unspecialized cells that can assist in tissue repair and rejuvenation. When they divide, stem cells have the potential to become any type of cell needed, such as brain, blood or muscle cells.” Stem cells are important for many reasons but the most well-known is that they have regenerative abilities. Stem cells offer potential for treating diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and Parkinson’s disease.…

    • 2234 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Among scientific research it is true that adult stem cells have successfully treated certain diseases and illness in clinical trials; nevertheless, scientific innovations in the medical field is crucial to the ever-growing understanding of the human body. Adult stem cells do not pose such a grand ethical dilemma as much as embryonic stem cells do and is part of the reason why researchers choose not to look into the matter any further. The fear of uncertainty has limited the progression of science by the growing debate of what is morally wrong and…

    • 1217 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    In the article, “Preface to “is Stem Cell Research Ethical?” The author states that, “Some scientist believe that stem cells therefore may help them develop cures for diseases such as heart disease, cancer and parkinson's disease.” The author stated that is can help cure diseases, but this is not fact. These stem cells needed would be taken from aborted fetuses or fetuses donated by science. Secondly, in the article “Preface to “is Stem Cell Research Ethical?” The author declares, “In order to circumvent this not-button issue, some stem cell scientists devote their research to finding ways to extract stem cells without causing embryos to die.” Again, yes this may be a practice that scientists would like to devote, but this does not mean the embryos will not die. ?considered murder. Ultimately, this practice is unethical and needs to be abolished. Stem cell research is immoral and wrong and should not be…

    • 1237 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Stem Cell Research

    • 20373 Words
    • 82 Pages

    Even though stem cell research is a new emerging technology, it has already had a major impact on the world. From the common person to the million dollar celebrity, stem cell research has touched many lives. Even if it has not made a direct impact in someone’s life, many people have at least heard or read of its influence on someone else. Most people also have already formed an opinion as to where they stand on the controversial issue of stem cell research and stem cell treatments.…

    • 20373 Words
    • 82 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Stem Cell Research

    • 401 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Malek, B. (2011, 03 28). The ethics of using aborted babies in stem cell research. Retrieved from http://erasetheneed.wordpress.com/2011/03/28/the-ethics-of-using-aborted-babies-in-stem-cell-research/…

    • 401 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays

Related Topics