What Benefits Can Be Derived from Stem Cell Research?
What Benefits Can Be Derived From Stem Cell Research?
Stem Cell Research has been extremely controversial recently. There are two sides to this issue. Many people reject the idea because they believe it violates their religious beliefs. The political parties find this research to be very expensive and they also believe this issue is similar to abortion. On the other hand, the medical community is in favor of stem cell investigation because it has been known to help people with major diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and spinal cord injuries. However, science has proven that stem cells can cure.
Why then has this become a controversial debate? It is likely that both religion and politics have entered into the conflict. With regard to the stem cells, medical science has made use of adult stem cells along with those that are embryonic. Of course, it is the embryonic ones that have created the controversy, especially between religious groups and people of political views. Whether you agree with embryonic stem cell research or not, the conflict engages other aspects of human beliefs and opinions. For example, someone who is against abortion will see the use of embryonic stem cells as a way of pushing abortion. On the other hand, if a person believes in the “right to choose”, they will probably find embryonic stem cell research useful.
“Religious conservatives argue that using those stem cells means deriving benefit from the destruction of human embryos--fertilized eggs in the early stages of development--in their eyes no less a crime than abortion.” (Lacayo) They see this process as, researchers who extract stem cells from an embryo, a murder. They feel that taking away life from an embryo, which they believe are human beings, to give life to another is wrong. In 1998, there were two research groups, one led by James Thomson and the other led by John Gearhart. Both research groups were the first to isolate human embryonic stem cells and
Stem Cell Research has been extremely controversial recently. There are two sides to this issue. Many people reject the idea because they believe it violates their religious beliefs. The political parties find this research to be very expensive and they also believe this issue is similar to abortion. On the other hand, the medical community is in favor of stem cell investigation because it has been known to help people with major diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and spinal cord injuries. However, science has proven that stem cells can cure.
Why then has this become a controversial debate? It is likely that both religion and politics have entered into the conflict. With regard to the stem cells, medical science has made use of adult stem cells along with those that are embryonic. Of course, it is the embryonic ones that have created the controversy, especially between religious groups and people of political views. Whether you agree with embryonic stem cell research or not, the conflict engages other aspects of human beliefs and opinions. For example, someone who is against abortion will see the use of embryonic stem cells as a way of pushing abortion. On the other hand, if a person believes in the “right to choose”, they will probably find embryonic stem cell research useful.
“Religious conservatives argue that using those stem cells means deriving benefit from the destruction of human embryos--fertilized eggs in the early stages of development--in their eyes no less a crime than abortion.” (Lacayo) They see this process as, researchers who extract stem cells from an embryo, a murder. They feel that taking away life from an embryo, which they believe are human beings, to give life to another is wrong. In 1998, there were two research groups, one led by James Thomson and the other led by John Gearhart. Both research groups were the first to isolate human embryonic stem cells and