Stem Cell Research

Imagine what it would be like to grow back an entire limb or organ. Many people might think that this may only be possible in sci-fi movies such as x-men. However, they will be surprised at how close this is coming to reality. Scientists have recently discovered the endless possibilities of the so called embryonic stem cells. It has been said that these cells have the ability to repair an entire tissue or even create a copy of it. It is also said to be a potential cure for innumerable serious diseases such as the Alzheimer and the Parkinson’s disease. This is why stem cell research should definitely be funded for the enormous impact it can make in the medical field.
Stem cell research is perhaps one of the most controversial topics in modern day. The majority of the people who are against this research are religious people. They believe that these scientists are murderers because in the process of harvesting the stem cells, they take away the inner cell mass from a real embryo which stops the embryo from developing. They consider the four-day old embryo as a real living thing with a soul and they claim that the scientists are killing the embryos. However, scientists from the stem cell research program in the University of Michigan state that “stem cells are derived from blastocysts that have only developed for about five days after fertilization.” The whole process is done with laboratory dishes and the blastocysts have never been in a woman’s uterus. In addition, at the four-day old stage of the embryo, there is no nervous system, no heart, no limbs, and no specialized human tissues. Therefore, scientifically, the embryo is not a human until starts to perform human functions. The people against stem cell research are correct by saying the embryo is a “potential” human but by any scientific standards, the embryo is not “yet” a human.