Stem Cell Controversies 2nd Draft

Stem Cell Controversies Human embryonic stem cell (HESC) research is very promising and has great potential
to cure diseases and injuries. They are pluripotent cells which can be differentiated into all types of cells of the body. The prime objective of stem cell research is to understand and devise the mechanisms that control cell differentiation and turn stem cells into specific cell types like neurons, heart cell etc and afterward their use for treatment of diseases and injuries. Despite of a number of therapeutics benefits, stem cell research is still very controversial and a number of ethnic groups are seriously against it because during harvesting of HESCs involves the destruction of the human embryo ( http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/stem-cells/). The people who opposed stem cell are concerned with the rights and status of the embryo as an early-aged human life. They believe that embryonic stem cell research instrumentalizes and violates the sanctity of life, and some also view it as tantamount to murder. They also argue that human life is inviolable, combined with the belief that human life begins when a sperm cell fertilizes an egg cell to form a single cell. Either the embryo is viewed as a person whilst it is still an embryo, or it is seen as a potential person. The criteria for personhood are notoriously unclear; different people define what makes a person in different ways. On the other hand, medical researchers widely claimed that stem cell research has the potential to dramatically alter approaches to understanding and treating diseases and can treat a variety of diseases and impairments like Spinal cord injuries and Parkinson's disease. The anticipated medical benefits of stem cell research add urgency to the debates, which has been appealed to by proponents of embryonic stem cell research. They viewed that an early embryo that has not yet implanted into the uterus does not have the psychological, emotional or physical properties that we associate with being a person. It therefore does not have any interests to be protected and we can use it for the benefit of patients (who ARE persons). The embryo cannot develop into a child without being transferred to a womans uterus. It needs external help to develop. Even then, the probability that embryos used for in vitro fertilization will develop into full-term successful births is low. Something that could potentially become a person should not be treated as if it actually were a person (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stem_cell_controversy) . Embryonic stem cell research poses a moral dilemma. It forces us to choose between two moral principles: The duty to prevent or alleviate suffering
The duty to respect the value of human life (http://www.eurostemcell.org/factsheet/embryonic-stem-cell-research-ethical-dilemma) Apparently the controversies around HESC will go on but recently there are few new scientific developments which may be able resolve this conflict. In 2006, researchers at Advanced Cell Technology of Worcester, Massachusetts, succeeded in obtaining stem cells from mouse embryos without destroying the embryos. If this technique and its reliability are improved, it would alleviate some of the ethical concerns related to embryonic stem cell research. The Scientists recently also succeeded in converting adult human skin cells into cells that appear to have the properties of HESCs by activating four genes in the adult cells. The reprogrammed cellsinduced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)could ultimately eliminate the need for HESCs. No doubt stem cell research has many advantages and rich future prospectus but at the same time we cannot ignore completely the point of view of those who opposed destroy of human embryo for stem cell research. Therefore, it is rapid need we check the potential of induced pluripotent stem cells to replace HESCs and bring further sophistication to obtain stem cell without destroying the embryos to resolve this hot debate.
Resources
http://www.eurostemcell.org/factsheet/embryonic-stem-cell-research-ethical-dilemma http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stem_cell_controversy http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/stem-cells/ Fundamentals of Stem Cell Debate Edited by Kristen Renwick Monroe, Ronald B. Miller & Jerome S. Tobis

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Stem Cell Controversies Human embryonic stem cell (HESC) research is very promising and has great potential

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