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Stem Cell Research Pros And Cons

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Stem Cell Research Pros And Cons
Stem cells are cells that have the ability to become any cell type in the body such as a muscle, a brain, or red blood cell, or any other cell. Because of that, they are able to repair organs and tissues and can potentially treat diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, which is the number one killer in the Unites States. Although stem cells can help massively, there is ethical controversy surrounding embryonic stem cell research. Embryonic stem cell research involves taking the stem cells from the human embryo therefore killing it. The question is whether the medical advantages of stem cell research outweighs the ethical consequences. Because of the fact that stem cells are medically powerful, it outweighs the ethical consequences but to a certain extent. …show more content…
The issue surrounding this controversy is the debate over when a human life really begins to exist. According to Bernard Lo and Lindsay Panham, “embryos have the potential to become human beings” and that “the early embryo deserves special respect as a potential human being” (Lo & Panham “The Ethical Issues in Stem Cell Research”). However, some argue that it’s justified if they get consent from the woman donating the embryo for research. Others have argued that “scientists achieve the same results using adult stem cells” which are “immature cells found in bone marrow and other organs in adult human beings, as well as in umbilical cords normally discarded at birth.” (Lo & Panham “The Ethical Issues in Stem Cell Research”). Due to the ethical dilemma, some countries such as Germany prohibit some types of stem cell
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