Embryonic Stem Cell Research: An Ethical Dilemma

Embryonic stem cell research is important for further development in the medical field. It strongly supports the idea that every life has value, an idea known as human dignity. Human beings are created in the image and likeness of God, and thus, are all equal. The idea of radical equality before God leads us to think no less of someone regardless of their physical appearance, religious beliefs, cultural background, or anything else. It is through virtues such as charity, mercy, and justice that our human dignity is preserved. By living through these virtues and realizing how to effectively instill them within us, we are able to live a virtuous life. This paper argues that although issues involving embryonic stem cell research are controversial, research in this area is typically permissible for further development in the medical field when looking to preserve human dignity. In order to defend this thesis, this paper will be structured into three sections as followed: the description of embryonic stem cell research, the development of a moral lens, and the moral argument and analysis of this case.

The introduction and expansion of embryonic stem cell research initiated a highly debated ethical topic. Can our society agree to disagree? What are embryonic stem cells? What are stem cells? Is all stem cell research considered abortion? Debates surrounding embryonic stem cell research is further complicated by social standards and needs, religious beliefs, and personal morals.

This report describes how ethics involving embryos has been ongoing for 25 years but has significantly increased with the stem cell controversy. Another issue brought up by this report is whether or not federal funds should be spent on an issue that is so ethically

Do the benefits of stem cell research and more specifically embryonic stem cell therapy outweigh the ethical controversies? Answer/Thesis Claim: Stem cell research and therapy is a promising field being held back by ethical issue. Stem cells are a regenerative medicine that can cure numerous diseases such as, cancer, diabetes, leukemia. The main ethical question society presents is, when does life start and what is ethical? The future of medicine and abolishment of diseases is being halted by ethical stigmas, once society accepts this form of regenerative medicine disease control and abolishment will be available.

Stem cell research is often at the forefront of heated ethical debates due to its assessment of human life. If stem cell research cannot be ethically defended, then it should not be conducted. “You cannot defend a study ethically unless the presumed cost is lower than expected benefits. The cost-benefit analysis of scientific research needs to include human/animal discomfort/risks, environmental issues, material costs, etc” which is necessary to support the positive outcome which the research claims to provide (experiment-resources, 2008).

Embryonic stem cells research has challenged the moral ethics within human beings simply because the point at which one is considered a “human,” is still under debate and practically incapable to make a decision upon.

Many of the ethical debates about embryonic stem cells involve when a human being is actually defined as a human. Embryonic stem cells can be taken from the blastocyst, a very early stage of development that is a hollow ball with about 150-200 cells and is barely visible to the naked eye. According to the 2010 statistics of the World Health Organization, worldwide 5.7 million people die of Alzheimer’s disease, and 10 million people die of Parkinson’s disease each year. Both Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease are currently incurable, but with the use of stem cells, scientists can find a cure for many diseases across the country. If scientists can sacrifice something for the greater good of mankind,

In the words of former First Lady Nancy Reagan: “Embryonic stem cell research has the potential to alleviate so much suffering. Surely, by working together we can harness its life-giving potential.” Stem cell research shows so much promise to help people by treating diseases and other problems through therapy. While it seems as though the clear answer is that we should study stem cells as soon as possible, this is sadly not the case. Stem cell research is an ongoing controversy within politics and the courts because of the process by which embryonic stem cells are obtained. This conflict divides people on their moral and religious views: When does life begin? Because of this issue, there have been numerous court rulings deciding if and when stem cell study would be federally funded and even when stem cell studies would be allowed. These court rulings have significantly slowed down progress in stem cell research, and stem cell exploration will progress slowly if the government doesn’t make stem cell research a priority. The best approach to stem cell research is to freely allow and support scientists to conduct further experimentation because knowledge and use of stem cells will only progress through experimentation. More financial support is needed to prove that stem cell treatments are successful, and if monetary support is provided many lives will be saved as the end result of the research.

Embryonic stem cell research has caused quite a stir in the scientific community lately. The ethics and morality of its nature has been long debated. There is a constant debate about the legality of this topic and whether or not it should be permitted. We have formed different opinions with no clear resolution or conclusion. Does it violate human rights?

“While we must devote enormous energy to conquering disease, it is equally important that we pay attention to the moral concerns raised by the new frontier of human embryo stem cell research. Even the most noble ends do not justify any means.” This quote comes from former president George W. Bush during a radio conference where he discussed his decision to allow federal funds to be used for stem cell research only in cases where the embryos were not harmed. While still in the beginning stage of exploration, stem cell research, and more specifically embryonic stem cell research, has become a topic of great debate. The ethics and procedures involved have come into question not only by the Catholic Church, but also by many citizens and even our presidents. The morality of this new scientific development lies in the way these stem cells are obtained. For scientists to acquire embryonic stem cells they must be removed from a destroyed embryo. For some this is just a small obstacle or nuisance in technicalities as to what a human being is, while for other it is seen as murder and the taking of a life before it even had a chance. Another reason the use of embryos is frowned upon is because of the alternate and successfully proven approach of using somatic stem cells, which do not require any human life to be harmed. The Catholic Church, being an institution of God and supporting all life, for obvious reasons cannot be a supporter of embryonic stem cell research because of the

The treatment of diseases and illnesses continually grows and improves. Embryonic stem cells have the potential to help rectify or even cure disease and illnesses that are thought to be incurable. However, the ethical battle over the sanctity of life rages on.

Stem cells not only exist in developing embryonic cells but also in the adult nervous system of all mammalian organisms which include humans. Stem cells can also be derived from developing mammalian nervous system. Embryonic stem cells have vast possibility in the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine as they have the capacity to produce each type of cell and tissue in the body. On paper, it could revolutionize the way human diseases and organ transplants are treated by creating any type of cell in a laboratory whenever needed. However, like any type of biological research there is bound to be many ethical issues that surround it and with the study of embryonic stem cells there are many who would call it inhumane as they would say an embryo is life and by destroying one it would be murder. However, in 2006 some researchers at Kyoto University in Japan have identified a way to produce cells with a stem cell like state without having to use embryos as testing. Their research has allowed them to recognised conditions that would create reprogrammed undifferentiated adult and human cells from already specialised cells skin, hair.

Ethical issues are those issues which at a personal, community or global level challenge the reader to make decisions of what is right or good behavior. Morality however refers to codes that are held about what is right and good behavior (Engebreston, 2006). In today’s world medical research and technology is rapidly changing and there are increasing ethical conflicts between science and religion particularly with the recent harvest and research of embryonic stem cells. The use of embryonic stem cells has been described by “Chris McDonald, stem cell research centre, 2008” as one of the most significant breakthroughs of this century in biomedicine. The focus question within this research assignment is, it is right to regard an

The problem facing today, is that the human community fear the unknown, there are boundaries to everything in life. That you can not play god, because society frowns upon that. Years of stem cell research are the pinnacle of ethical issues, as to why is this being practiced. Lives matter and the time for change is here. The controversy starts with the first type of stem cells, which are Embryonic stem cells these cells come from an embryo. An embryo is a developing fetus, this brings issue due to Pro life supporters. It is a issue with morality, if it is correct to manipulate a living thing that can not fight for it’s life. The thing that this will explain is as to why the research does not take life, but preserve the the lives that are existent now. The frontier is near the face of people, the fear is that humanity does not know if it’s ready to explain what will happen with the advancement of the research. The way to counter argue that the research the “kills or destroys” the fetus is that the research benefits the the whole human community. Also the research does not idealize the death of a human. It represents the idea that this research is made for medical use. Furthermore the paper establishes as to defend stem cell research, as the difference of a human and an embryo are explained extensively. Embryonic stem cells and its research have controversial in the U.S since the late 1990’s, when the first embryonic cell was created in a lab. The divide in controversy was not

When discussing stem cell research, particularly on embryonic stem cells, there are two moral principles that must be taken into consideration: the moral responsibility to prevent and alleviate suffering or the moral responsibility to respect the value of human life. However, it is impossible to respect both moral principles as one invalidates the