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Controversy in Stem Cell Research

It seems that the controversy surrounding stem cell research comes at the intersection of two primary opposing viewpoints: the high esteem for human life and the right to it, on the one hand; and the desire to alleviate human suffering on the other. And while these two ideas are not in themselves contradictory, in this particular case it is impossible to satisfy one without violating the other.

Is it justifiable to end one human life for the sake of preventing the death of another? There is no obvious answer to this very complex question. And while embryonic stem cell research is consistently pushing the limits of possibility for disease prevention and treatment, it is no less problematic in its moral assumptions.

Who objects to stem cell research, and why?

Anti-abortion and ethics groups oppose such research because it results in human embryos being destroyed. The Coalition of Americans for Research Ethics argues the case like this: "The destruction of human embryonic life is unnecessary for medical progress, as alternative methods of obtaining human stem cells and of repairing human tissue exist and continue to be developed." Human beings are not things. Their lives must not be sacrificed against their will, even for the sake of good ends, like saving other people's lives.

Opposing view: "...some argue that the embryo requires and deserves no particular moral attention whatsoever." They believe that an embryo is simply a collection of cells containing DNA. It is not a human being, not a person. It is composed of a few cells with no internal organs, arms, legs, sensory organs, brain, self-awareness, awareness of its environment, memory, thoughts, etc. It may eventually become a person, but only if allowed to mature. They believe that human personhood comes later in gestation, perhaps when the fetus "looks like" a human, or when its brain develops to the point where it becomes conscious of itself, or at birth.

No societal consensus exists about the ethics of destroying a human embryo in order to collect stem cells. There is a strong religious lobby opposing embryonic stem cell research. They believe that human personhood starts at conception. Thus, they believe that the pre-embryo produced is a human person. When the Pope visited George Bush, he told the US president that the work was as evil as infanticide, because obtaining the cells involves destroying early stage human embryos.

What About Cord Blood?

The advantages of stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood are becoming increasingly well documented. They include: Collecting stem cells from a baby’s umbilical cord presents no serious risk to either mom or baby as it is collected after birth, making them a non-controversial source of stem cells. Because cord blood stem cells are coming from the purest possible source, they are less likely to be rejected; the risk of infection is also significantly less

 


Date: 2016-03-03; view: 688


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Genetic Engineering | Christopher J. Fettweis
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