Pros And Cons Of Embryonic Stem Cell Research

Stem Cell Controversy Embryonic stem cell research could very well hold the answers for many of modern medicine’s most pressing problems. As a result of this research, incredible advances have been made in the field of tissue regeneration, captivating the public with the promise of an increased life span. Scientists post these extraordinary claims, however, without mentioning the reprehensible research methods involved. The moral and ethical implications of these studies are far reaching, yet the morality and ethics are loosely defined. This creates a convenient loophole for unscrupulous scientists to further their own twisted agendas with total disregard for the sanctity of human life. Newer research has come to the fore involving adult

The destruction of human embryos is considered central to the debate. Should a human embryo be awarded any moral status? In order for stem cells to be harvested, human embryos must be destroyed. Some scientists insist that embryonic stem cells can be harvested from frozen embryos in an attempt to justify their research methods. They say that since these embryos were never inside a women’s uterus, they should not be considered human beings. Some adhere to the argument that the degree of humanity we ascribe to a human embryo is directly proportionate to the stage of development that the embryo reaches before it is destroyed. Others believe that no moral status should be awarded to a human embryo (Fsu.digital.flvc.org.). These contentious points of view are hotly debated topics among scientists, religious leaders, and

As a result of war, great leaps forward have been made in several areas that have been tremendously beneficial to our species as a whole. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan introduced the world to the amazing possibilities of satellite and drone technologies. World War 2 saw mankind harness the power of the atom. The medical field is no exception. Surgical techniques were greatly improved in the United States as a direct result of the Civil War. Penicillin was discovered and put to use during the Great War. Desperate times call for desperate measures, but do the ends justify the means? At some point, true north must be determined by a moral compass. Humanity must not be sacrificed in the quest for knowledge. Many of the horrors of the Holocaust were carried out in the name of science. Embryonic stem cell research has been compared to the atrocities committed by the Nazis during World War 2 (Dobson). A lesson is to be learned here. Human life is sacred, and should be treated as such. The moral and ethical implications of research conducted on human embryos presents many problems. The alternative technology of induced pluripotent stem cell research is highly effective and much less