Free Essays on Embryonic Stem Cell Research

Embryonic Stem Cell Research: Helpful or Hazardous Should stem cell research be banned? This is one of the most controversial questions posed in the last century. The heart of this controversy is whether or not it is morally ethical or legal to use stem cells in research and medicine, possibly to discover the cures and treatments for many diseases afflicting people today. Although stem cells are found in adult organisms as well as in fetuses and embryos, embryonic stem cells are the only types that are able to become any other type of cell. As organisms develop, stem cells become specialized types of cells and are harder to find and less potent in their ability to differentiate. For, this reason, it is often though that embryonic stem cells offer the most promise for medical breakthroughs. This is also another reason why the government should fund embryonic stem cell research along with the fact that embryonic stem cell research can benefit those suffering from serious diseases and help with other medical problems such as burns. Stem cells themselves have actually been around for almost as long as life has been on earth. In essence, all life evolved from stem cells of some kind. Stem cell research has been around for almost as long as microscopes. It is only within the 1980s that more sophisticated developments have been allowed for the growing of cells in laboratories. Fetal nerve cells were one of the first stem cells that were used to treat Parkinson disease. The National Institute of Health states that stem cells are generally very early stage cells that have the ability to turn into other specialized types of cells and at the same time replicate themselves (2).For example, a Binion 2 stem cell can turn into liver cells, skin cells, and nerve cells etc. There are two groups of stem cells that are important: embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. There are common terms that one may come across describing stem cells gr... Free Essays on Embryonic Stem Cell Research Free Essays on Embryonic Stem Cell Research Pro Embryonic Stem Cell Research "Is it more ethical for a woman to donate unused embryos that will never become human beings, or to let them be tossed away as so much garbage when they could help save thousands of lives?" (cnn.com) This is the question that was asked by Christopher Reeves an advocate for stem cell research who recently passed away. This is the question asked by millions of children and adults with terrible incurable diseases like Parkinson's, diabetes, Alzheimer's, heart disease, spinal cord injuries and cancer who have the same hopes and aspirations that Christopher once had. Christopher Reeve’s advocacy for researching stem cell research helped to make it a major issue in the 2004 campaign between George W. Bush and John Kerry. Many people opposed to embryonic research including President Bush argue that stem cells can be derived from sources other than embryos such as adult cells, umbilical cords from babies, from human placenta (whitehouse.gov/). This is true but these people fail to realize the limited potential that these types of stem cells offer compared to embryonic stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are the only types of cells that are totipotent or pluripotent meaning they can become any type of cell in the body. (isscr.org/science/faq.htm) America needs to uplift the restrictions on embryonic stem cells and peruse research to the fullest extent so patients and their families are not denied the endless hope of possibilities that new research can bring to society. I believe that the ban on federal funding should be uplifted allowing scientists to explore their maximum potential while following certain ethical restrictions. In August 2001 Bush’s stem cell policy was supposed to provide the funding for 60 stem cell lines. Many of the stem cell lines turned out to be useless either having no scientific value or not even being a genuine stem cell line. As of today there are o... Free Essays on Embryonic Stem Cell Research Embryonic Stem Cell Research: Helpful or Hazardous Should stem cell research be banned? This is one of the most controversial questions posed in the last century. The heart of this controversy is whether or not it is morally ethical or legal to use stem cells in research and medicine, possibly to discover the cures and treatments for many diseases afflicting people today. Although stem cells are found in adult organisms as well as in fetuses and embryos, embryonic stem cells are the only types that are able to become any other type of cell. As organisms develop, stem cells become specialized types of cells and are harder to find and less potent in their ability to differentiate. For, this reason, it is often though that embryonic stem cells offer the most promise for medical breakthroughs. This is also another reason why the government should fund embryonic stem cell research along with the fact that embryonic stem cell research can benefit those suffering from serious diseases and help with other medical problems such as burns. Stem cells themselves have actually been around for almost as long as life has been on earth. In essence, all life evolved from stem cells of some kind. Stem cell research has been around for almost as long as microscopes. It is only within the 1980s that more sophisticated developments have been allowed for the growing of cells in laboratories. Fetal nerve cells were one of the first stem cells that were used to treat Parkinson disease. The National Institute of Health states that stem cells are generally very early stage cells that have the ability to turn into other specialized types of cells and at the same time replicate themselves (2).For example, a Binion 2 stem cell can turn into liver cells, skin cells, and nerve cells etc. There are two groups of stem cells that are important: embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. There are common terms that one may come across describing stem cells gr...