Embryonic Stem Cell Research – Pros and Cons
Filed under: Embryonic Stem Cell Research - 20 Apr 2010 | Spread the word !
Stem cell research is a hot topic no matter which side you prefer to take. There are benefits and there are also pitfalls with this type of research, but in order to make an informed decision about your opinion, you will need to know and understand the facts. Below is a pro and con list, most items on the list will have an explanation, though some may not; research is essential, this is a first step towards understanding the issues.
Pros:
Embryonic stem cell research can help find cures for or prevent issues such as:
Cancer of various different types, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, Heart disease, Stroke, Diabetes, Various birth defects, Spinal cord injuries, Organ damage and even transplant rejection.
The reason why it can help with all of these issues, and many more, is that embryonic stem cell research uses the regenerative cells of an embryo which are able to reproduce any other cell in the body. This means that you can easily gather information about how the development can affect various diseases.
Ethical debates have been raging since the idea of stem cell research first crossed scientists minds’, here are a few reasons why it isn’t unethical to perform research on embryonic stem cells:
In the event of an abortion at least some good for the whole of humanity can come of it. Research cannot be done on adult stem cells because they don’t have the share the same aspects as those from an embryo. The good of the research outweighs the bad of the methods.
Cons:
Nevertheless, there will always be opponents in cutting edge research and many will have compelling points:
Some say it’s an attempt to play God, arguments have been made that it devalues human life, there have also been people who have voiced fears of things such as cloning of humans and too much information about creating unnaturally long life spans.
On the ethical side, many of the arguments are the same as the practical arguments and a lot of religious stigma is involved in most people’s arguments against embryonic stem cell research.
In the end, it is your choice whether you wish to support research of embryonic stem cells. However, with no solid argument against the research it is astounding that so many people still oppose it.
Embryonic Stem Cell Research Pros and Cons
Filed under: Embryonic Stem Cell Research - 12 Dec 2011 |
The embryonic stem cell research is a highly debated subject, which raised many controversies throughout the years. This is because the embryonic stem cell research has both pros and cons, and people can weigh them depending on their values, standards and knowledge. Prior to listing the pros and cons, we should clarify what is embryonic stem cell research, more exactly. Well, embryonic stem cell research is based on stem cells, which are non-specialized cells found in the human body and which have the property of multiplying and creating other types of specific cells. While stem cells can be found in every living body, the truth is that fetus stem cells are far more powerful and potent.
So embryonic stem cell research implies special studies, performed on stem cells which are grown in laboratories. As I mentioned before, stem cells can create other types of cells, including brain, tissue, blood, or muscle ones. This amazing property makes for the first embryonic stem cell research pro – the fact that it can find cures for a wide array of diseases. Some of the medical problems that scientists hope to cure through embryonic stem cell research are Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and heart diseases. Other disorders can also find their cure due to embryonic stem cell research: birth defects, type 1 diabetes, spinal cord injuries and cancer. Moreover, embryonic stem cell research can also be useful regarding transplants, as it can reduce their risk. It can even replace and repair damaged organs, so transplants will no longer be necessary.
The embryonic stem cell research cons refer to ethical issues. This is because embryonic stem cell research is mainly carried on aborted fetuses, as researchers take up tissue from aborted embryos in order to get the study material needed for the research. As a result, many people accuse researchers of messing with human life and trying to play God. The response is obvious: scientists say that the outcome of embryonic stem cell research must overcome the ethical issues, because the medical breakthroughs can benefit the entire human kind. So these are the embryonic stem cell research pros and cons, but it is only up to you to decide if its benefits outweigh the ethical concerns.