Ethical Issues of Stem Cell Research
Stem cell research isn't anything new. However, no matter how long or the amount of ground breaking findings in this field, the ethical debate of stem cell research will remain.
Is it right to use embryonic stem cells for research?
Should the government be funding the destruction of human embryos?
The Facts
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All embryonic stem cells come surplus leftovers from in-vitro fertilization
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​Couples are given the choice to either continue freezing them or to defrost them (killing the embyros). They can also choose to donate them for adoption (rare) or to donate for research. (1)
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​​Yes, the use of embryonic stem cells for research (in most cases) does destroy the embyro.
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​But remember that the embyros were either rejected for fertilization or going to be destroyed. (1)
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​Not all stem cells come embryos
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​There are other methods of retrieving stem cells such as the umbilical cord or adult stem cells. (2)
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​Stem cell research is strictly regulated.
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​"Stem cell research is legal, but must follow the guidelines from both federal and state legislations. (2)
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 Number of Studies(image 3) |
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 Stem Cell Policy(image 4) |
 Embryo Banking (Freezing)(image 5) |
Not matter the amount of potential and fascination upon stem cell research, there has always been a debate on whether it should continue. To what degree is it acceptable and at what point is it not? There is no definite answer to these questions because every person have a different opinion and viewpoint.
When is the start of life? At what stage is the embryo considered a human being?
Dr. William Hurlbut argues: "'human life begins with fertilization and ends with death'" (3)
while
others argue: "'You are not creating new life. You are not causing conception to happen"' (4)
Ethical Issues
Does research justify the destruction of human embryos?
Do the embryos have rights?
Bishops of the Catholic Church have openly expressed their total disapproval of stem cell research. They have concluded that stem cell research is "gravely immoral and unnecessary". To the bishops, at the embryonic stage, human life begins and full rights as human beings are given to them; therefore, research does not justify the cost: "No commitment to a hoped-for 'greater good' can erase or diminish the wrong of directly taking innocent human lives" (7)
Legal Issues
There has been many controversy about the whether or not the government should be funding stem cell research. The regulations vary depending on the presidency.
In 2001, Bush order that embryonic stem cell research can only be conducted with the stem cell lines that were created before the regulation; there were only 22 successful stem cell lines. (8)
While in 2009, Obama signed an executive order that actually expanded the research. In order to conduct research, however, the scientists much follow certain conditions:
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"The cell line was one of the 22 in existence during the Bush administration or was created from embryos that had been discarded after in vitro fertilization procedures.
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The donors of the embryos were not paid in any way.
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The donors clearly knew that the embryos would be used for research purposes prior to giving consent." (8)
President George W. Bush addressing the debate on stem cell research. (image 8)
Regulations
United States:
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As of March 2009, President Obama issued an executive order that lifted some barriers to human embryonic stem cell research in the United States. (5)
Asia: (6)
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In Japan: only for therapeutic purposes but no official guidelines
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In China: 2003 guidelines for where embryonic stem cells are harvested. "according to Chinese cultural attitudes: a person's life begins at birth"
Australia: (6)
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Banned human cloning but allows use of embryos for research
United Kingdoms (6)
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"The Human Fertilization and Embryology Act (HFEA) of 1990 and the Human Reproductive Cloning Act of 2001 permit the destruction of embryos for human embryonic stem cells (hESC) and allows for SCNT"
President Barack Obama signing the executive order on stem cell research. (image 7)
Impact of Stem Cell Research
Imagine that you or a loved one has a chronic disease or just any disease in general. Now, imagine if you had the opportunity to treat, if not cure, the disease simply by extracting stem cells from your body and transplanting them into the affected area. That is the future of public health with stem cells.
Heart diseases are unfortunately very common throughout the United States. Every 1 in 4 deaths in the United States are due to heart disease adding on to a total of 610,000 deaths per year. (9) Now, picture the damaged heart being regenerated through the usage of stem cells. (10). There would be little, or perhaps no, cases of death by heart problems.
The same method could be applied to many different diseases. Perhaps, with stem cells, there will no longer be death by disease but rather death by simply old age.
