STEM CELL RESEARCH

Stem Cell Research

Stem Cell Research

Today stem cell research is a very controversial issue. Within the past few years people have been subject to the debates over stem cell research in the news, in books, and in magazines. But what exactly is stem cell research and how can it benefit the human race? What are the reasons that people are so against stem cell research? It seems that many people have taken a side on this issue. But, no matter what side you are on, you can not deny the facts. The fact is, although stem cell research with an embryonic stem cell does kill a human embryo, it provides us with the ability to do many things in science and cure many diseases. With this new technology of stem cell research we will be able to do many great things in the name of science.

Within the past few years, stem cell research has taken huge steps and new developments in medicine. However, within the past few years, the debate on stem cell research has become more and more heated between supporters and opponents of this controversial research. It has become an ethical dilemma within these two groups. Is this research ethical? Is refraining from the research ethical?

There are many advocates of stem cell research. Many of these advocates include scientists, doctors, and people with illnesses. The people who do advocate stem cell research have good reason to do so. Stem cell research opens up many new possibilities in medical treatment and advancement. First, being that embryonic stem cells are blank cells, they can be transformed into any other type of cell. This means that doctor's can grow from scratch anything from heart muscle, to bone marrow, even brain tissue. Also new skin can be grown for burn victims. Limbs and organs will be grown, in order to eliminate expensive transplant surgery from hard to find donors (Ackerman, 2004).

"Many diseases, such as Parkinson's disease...occur because of the death or dysfunction of just one of a few cell types. The replacement of those cells would offer life-long treatment" (Ackerman, 2004). By using stem cells, doctors would be able to easily replace these missing or damaged cells that would cause Parkinson's disease. Stem cell research will also eventually give us the opportunity to study the developmental events that can not be studied directly in a human embryo. Scientists will be able to see the causes of major birth defects and will eventually be able to treat or prevent them (Ackerman, 2004). Another advantage of this research is the ability to test millions of potential drugs and medicines on those stem cells. By using stem cells for this testing, we will eliminate the need to use human or animal testing.

Along with every person who supports something however, comes someone who opposes it. This is very true with stem cell research, as it has its fair share of opponents many of them being pro-life and many having Christian ...