From a broad perspective, stem cell research has become a very controversial issue due to many people opposing from cultural predispositions such as religion and scientists defining embryos as non-living things. Most people who support stem cell research claim to support it due to medical progressions that can be derived. There are many issues that outline people’s decisions regarding their positive or negative views on stem cell research.
People support stem cell research because cures to diseases can be derived and medicine will become reachable for many more people. The main reason why people choose to support stem cell research is because stem cells offer the possibility of a renewable source of replacement cells and tissue to treat a numerous amount of diseases, conditions, and disabilities including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. Also, stem cell research will aid in searching for a cure to spinal cord injury, stroke, burns, heart disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Medicine would become less expensive, meaning that more people would have a financial grasp on medications.
Although stem cell research will bring about benefits in the form of cures, people oppose this research mainly because people, including scientists, have different definitions of when life begins, and since embryos are being used in stem cell research, debate is very significant. Most scientists say that stem cells from a five-day-old embryo, or blastocyst, hold the greatest potential for medical benefits. When these stem cells are collected, the embryo is destroyed. Many people, believing that an embryo is a living being with a fundamental right to life, find that practice intolerable. Also, scientists claim that life does not begin during the embryonic phase, so they are not doing anything wrong.
In an attempt to resolve the issue of ethics regarding embryonic stem cells, new insight of techniques in obtaining stem cells have been derived, but there are minor problems with these new ways. Alternatives have been found, such as using adult stem cells. These stem cells can be found in adult red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and bone marrow. However, the use of adult stem cells is not as beneficial as using embryonic stem cells. This is because embryonic stem cells can transform into any kind of cell whereas adult stem cells can only replicate into their specific type. For example, an adult bone marrow stem cell can only replicate into more bone marrow cells. In addition, unlike embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells are relatively difficult to find because they appear very similar to regular somatic cells. Also, adult stem cells are harder to work with due to the merely impossible task of performing in-vitro on adult stem cells.
In addition to opposing stem cell research due to the belief that obtaining embryonic stem cells is promoting killing to living humans, people are against stem cell research because they believe that some parts of this research goes against their religious beliefs. For example, Christians believe some parts of stem cell research, such as cloning, are considered playing the role of God. Also, the majority of Christians believe embryos are living, and it says in the Bible that killing is a sin.
Although many Christians believe that stem cell research goes against their religious beliefs, some Christians have shifted sides on stem cell research because they see more benefits. For example, according to an online blog, some Christians say that embryonic stem cell research will save lives and the government will ensure that this research is performed with ethics and safety. In addition, stem cell research done today has nothing to do with reproductive choice, so some Christians argue that stem cell research isn’t even a matter of ethics.
Moving from a religious to a political standpoint, democrats and republicans share different views on stem cell research. Most democrats support stem cell research due to the medical advancements that are possible whereas republicans are split. Republicans are split because many feel that the embryonic controversy parallels with abortion, a topic that republicans are against. However, as the years have gone by, some republicans have shifted their sides and views on stem cell research because they see potential of deriving cures. For example, President Bush (R) has funded for stem cell research regarding the creation of more adult stem cell lines for more efficient studying. Stem cell lines are families of continuously replicating stem cells from single parent cells. However, Bush has made it clear through conferences that he finds embryonic stem cell research immoral.
Regardless if stem cell research becomes a great source of cures for the future, it is inevitable that there will always be debate as to whether or whether stem cell research is ethical. This is valid because the world is full of diversity. With diversity comes different culture, which affects every decision people make. From religion to political party, people will have conflicts in standing up to what they feel is right.
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