Stem Cell Research Controversy

Stem Cell Research is a highly controversial political issue. The use of human stem cells for medical purposes raises questions of morality that are much disputed between both sides of the political spectrum. This ethical debate is centered on the question of when life begins and on the usage and destruction of human embryonic stem cells.

Some believe that the embryonic stem cell research that is being conducted is completely unethical and should be banned. Their belief is that life begins at conception so the creation on embryos only to destroy them is the equivalent of taking a human life. Due to this more religious religious reasoning the main group in opposition to the research is Republicans. For those who are opposed to stem cell research it is the research on embryonic stem cells obtained by nuclear transfer that raises the most concerns. Nuclear transfer the process of taking a body cell from a doner and removing the nucleus containing all thier genetic information. The process then calls for the implantation of that nucleus into an egg cell in which the nucleus has already been removed in essence creating a perfect human clone. Then these unspecialized cells are used for medical benefits. This type of research brings up the topic of human cloning. Many believe that if scientists have the ability to engineer embryos in a lab then they would be able to implant those embryos in genetically enginerering super human babies or using these clones to harvest needed organs. Those opposed would argue that they are other kinds of stem cells that are plausible to use such as adult stem cells which do not threaten lives of the possiblilities of cloning.

On the other side of the spectra Democrats would arge that embryonic cell reserach is ethical and will be extremely useful in saving lives. These cells have extreme potential in treating damage to the brain, spinal cord, skeletal muscles and the heart. This would provide the possiblility for those once paralyzed to walk again or be used to combat Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease. Stem cells would theoretically give scientists the ability to creat human organ giving the millions of people in need of and organ transplant the chance to live. Therapeutic cloning has an infinite potential to revolutionize medicine and save millions of lives. Supporters of this research would also argue that the cells used for this research would have been disposed of anyway because they come fromm unused and unwanted in vitro fertilization eggs. These people also share the belief that the human life does not begin at conception and an embryo is just a group of a few unspecialized cells, not a human life. Because of this belief they believe that the destruction of these cells is not equivalent to murder. Also they argue that adult cells are not an equivalent prospect as embryonic stem cells. They are much harder to obtain and much less likely to be affective and the process to get these cells would be extremely expensive. Also, adult stem cells are less likely to specialize into the great variety of cells that embryonic cells are capable of. All in all, Democrats is an ethical process that will unleas a world of possibilities for the future that will benefit everyone.