The use of embryonic stem cells for medical treatment or scientific research is considered one of bioethics greatest controversies. Since the discovery of the uses of embryonic stem in 1981, people have argued that that embryonic stem cell research pushes the bounds of humane ethics. Conversely, others argue that the use of embryonic stem cells follow the principle tenets of bioethics: maximize benefits and minimize harm. Following their discovery, methods to remove embryonic stem cells from humans was discovered in 1998. Shortly after, In 2001, President George W. Bush granted federal funding to the research of hECS. Because of the flexible nature of hECS, they could potentially be used to treat an extremely wide range of diseases. These stem …show more content…
Thus stem cells have the potential to cure a large number of diseases and physical ailments such as diabetes, Parkinson’s, spinal cord injury, heart disease, and many more. Stem cells have the power to save many lives without harming anyone, hence following the principle of maximizing benefits and minimizing harm. This principle is proven when the stakeholders are considered. The first stake holders are the donors. Donors are usually females who opt for in vitro fertilization of egg. As many as thirty day old eggs are removed when a female wants in vitro fertilization. Once the eggs are fertilized, only a few of them are used for actual implantation in order to develop a baby. The rest of them are destroyed or wasted, when they could be salvaged and actually used for good, thus maximizing benefits. The other stakeholder, the eggs, feel no pain seeing that they are too early in the developmental stage to even feel pain/have nerves; therefore, there is no harm inflicted upon the eggs. Finally the recipient of the eggs is the final stakeholder and the use of excess eggs for research does not affect the recipient. Consequently, stem cell research and their medical applications are of great interest to the scientific and medical community. The area of stem cell research could lead to further understandings of disabling diseases. The benefits