Embryonic stem cell research is an exciting area of regenerative medicine because of the probability of enormous potential for finding treatments and cures for debilitating diseases, disabilities, and cancers. The possibilities to learn and understand human growth from researching stem cells could lead toward a future where human suffering is all but eliminated [1]. The reasons that embryonic stem cells are more favorable than any other source of stem cells is because alternative stem cell lines are shorter-lived and do not have the same level of pluripotency. From a utilitarian perspective, the morally favorable option is to use embryonic stem cells from embryos since they are not equivalent to a fully formed human being, stem cells are taken …show more content…
The biggest problem with this argument is that many do not agree that the embryos represent human life for several reasons. The first of these reasons is that embryos lack the physical and psychological properties that humans possess. The collection of cells does not contain a central nervous system, nor any way to communicate pain or suffering [2]. In fact, the required components of the central nervous system that need to develop in order for a fetus to feel pain are not formed until 20 weeks after conception [3]. Additionally, an embryo is not viable until it has implanted in the walls of the uterus. Even in vivo, eggs can be fertilized and fail to implant into the uterus and they do not develop into a fetus [2]. The termination of a blastocyst is equivalent to an embryo failing to implant in the uterus which happens quite often in nature. Therefore, if the embryos are never implanted into a woman’s uterus, they should not be considered human beings and consequently are not guaranteed the same rights and protections as fully-formed, developed human