Ethical Issues Concerning Stem Cell Research

Stem Cell Research Imagine family members or close friends had the chance to treat a genetic disease, or transplant a damaged organ with their own cells. These things will be able to become possible with the help of stem cell research. With governmental restriction, and not enough funding, stem cell research has taken several steps in reverse regarding progression and development of programs and studies. Many clinical trials and laboratory testings helping better understand the human body have been shut down or halted, often due to ethical protesters and government restrictions. Ethical issues involved in stem cell research vary from political to religious. Despite the reasons stem cell research should be banned, the reasons it should be progressed
One way stem cell research is a positive study is that development of organs being created and then used for transplants. In 2008 scientists used stem cells to engineer a section of a womans trachea that was damaged from tuberculosis. “The use of the recipient's own cells to populate the trachea scaffold prevented immune rejection and eliminated the need for immunosuppression therapy” (Slack). When immune rejection happens the patient often gets an infection in the transplanted organ reversing everything that had been done during the transplant. However, when the use of the patient’s own cells, rejection to the organ wouldn’t be an issue, being that their cells are apart of the body already and know how to react and function to the body. Some obstacles presented in organ transplants with
Being said the therapy and treatments that could possibly be developed have the chances to cure or drastically reduce the symptoms of illnesses. “Since 1998, cord blood stem cells have been used to treat eighty-one diseases, including sickle cell anemia, multiple sclerosis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile diabetes, leukemia, lymphoma, and other carcinomas, including ovarian, blood and testicular cancers” (Griswold and Lee). Ways scientists have found to treat certain illnesses is with large quantities of cells. Dopamine-secreting neurons and inulin-secreting pancreatic beta cells can be used to treat things such as Parkinson disease or diabetes. In cases like the testings done in 2008 for a trachea transplant, “in 2009 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first clinical trial designed to test a human embryonic stem cell-based therapy” (Slack). This testing was for restoration of nerves for people suffering from acute spinal cord injury. Unfortunately, even though the trial was approved in 2009, it was halted until 2011. Like most stem cell research projects, the halt came from insignificant funding. Another way central nervous system damage is treated is with