ISSUES AND IMPACTS
ETHICAL ISSUES
STEM CELL RESEARCH has been a controversial topic for years, ever since scientists first discovered that they could extract stem cells from embryos in 1998. It is morally believed by many religions that killing an embryo is killing a life, thus using human embryos for stem cell research should be completely obliterated. (Citation 22)
STEM CELL RESEARCH HAS RAISED THESE QUESTIONS:
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"Does life begin at fertilization, in the womb, or at birth?"
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"Is a human embryo equivalent to a human child?"
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"Does a human embryo have any rights?"
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"Might the destruction of a single embryo be justified if it provides a cure for a countless number of patients?"
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"Since ES cells can grow indefinitely in a dish and can, in theory, still grow into a human being, is the embryo really destroyed?" (Citation 22)
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COUNTER ARGUMENT
When stem cell research began, scientists utilized stem cells from human embryos, which to a number of people was demoralizing, but scientists have discovered another pathway to obtain stem cells for research without breaking human moral standards. In 2006, scientists discovered induced pluripotent stem cells. This allowed scientists to take a normal cell and reprogram it to transform into a pluripotent stem cell, able to use for stem cell research just as easily as embryonic stem cells. (Citation 22)
STEM CELL RESEARCH TODAY
Governments around the world have passed legislation for stem cell research. Creating embryos for research is not permissible in any way, shape, or form in the United States.
In 2001, President Bush limited federal funding for around 70 human embryonic stem cell lines for research. This slowed the termination of human embryos, but it also most likely slowed progress on stem cell research that could have been useful today.
In 2009, Obama expanded the number of stem cell lines by overturning Bush's policy of stem cell research. The question is whether or not different legislation is needed for other types of pluripotent stem cells, such as induced pluripotent stem cells. (Citation 22)
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell
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