Stem Cell Research

Stem Cell Research

Can you imagine a world where there are no ailments like aids or diabetes. Well, what if this world was possible but the government was stopping the research for these types of advances. The type of research I am talking about isn't cloning as some of you might be thinking. Actually, it is called embryo stem cell research. Hopefully I will be able to give you a better understanding of why this type of stem cell research is opposed, what stem cell research is, and why the government should allow it.

There are amazing advances being made in stem cell research. The problem is that the government is slowing down these advances. Scientists have found the best way to get stem cells is from human embryos, but the government disagrees with this method. The president thinks it is unethical to use a human embryo that still has the potential for life. He does not oppose stem cell research as a whole, but he is in opposition to the best found method of retrieving stem cells.

At whitehouse.gov I found that the government is currently giving $250 million of the tax payers money to continue research on existing stem cell lines. These stem cell lines were created from embryos that had already been destroyed. The problem is that there are only 60 existing stem cell lines. The embryos that researchers want to use are the ones that would be destroyed anyways by In Vitro Fertilization clinics because they are extras that aren't needed. It seems that Bush's view is hypocritical because he allows these clinics to destroy the embryos, but he won't allow them to be destroyed by a means that could benefit science.

The biggest cause of the problems of opposition to the studies are caused because people don't understand what stem cell research is. The type of cells that are used are called pluripotent cells. These cells are in the inner part of the embryo and without the outer part of the embryo they cannot form human life. These cells are like a master cell in a way. Although they cannot make a human life they do have the ability to form most types of cells. What this means is that if these cells are taken at this stage they can be made into almost any type of cell that is needed. These cells are not what are called totipotent cells which are they type that would be needed for human cloning.

People tend to disagree with how the cells are attained which is another cause of opposition. One method, which I have mentioned before, is taking the cells from a human embryo . This method would not infringe on the right to life of an embryo if the embryo was already going to be destroyed. Another method is by taking the cells from the fetal tissue of a terminated pregnancy. In this method a life would not be taken because of the removal of the stem cells either. These methods are the most ethical from my point of view as where there are others that are more controversial, but they are not used as much.

Stem cells can be used to fix many types of diseases, conditions, and disabilities. These include problems like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. Other examples of conditions that could be treated are a spinal cord injuries, stroke, burns, heart disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. With the advances that are possible with stem cell research there is almost no area of medicine that would not be touched.

To show how exactly stem cells would be used I found an article from the National Institute of Health explaining how stem cells would be utilized to help someone