Besides the benefits from the research in stem cells, the research has proven to be one of the most controversial issues in the modern world. The prime concern is deciding whether its continuity is right or wrong. Many are arguing the issue of morality which involves the use of human embryos, genetic engineering, cloning and the biological impacts resulting from the research. It has spanned a strong debate in regard to its credibility in regard to ethical concerns primarily about creation, destruction and also the use of embryos. It does not stop there because of other issues raised about the species boundaries t be used, the violation of the rather natural order of events which is considered rather divine because nature is deemed sacred as well as the finiteness of humanity. At the same time, relieving human pain and suffering which is regarded as paramount is put at stake.
This research paper explains the risks and benefits associated with the stem cell research from an opposing point of view. The facts that have resulted from the application and research of the stem cell research have also been included in this research paper. The moral and ethics effects and the debate concerning the stem cell research have also been covered in this research paper. Hence, the paper assists in understanding the resulting application of the stem cell research in the society, the controversy arising as a result of its continued research and application and the heated debate on the moral and ethical aspect of the stem cell research.
Stem cells are specialized within particular physiological and experimental requirements. They are induced from cells which are unspecialized to be specialized under specific conditions. Stem cells have the capability of restoring themselves by a mechanism of cell division spanning through an indefinite time. They are classified into embryonic and adult. The adult types are obtained from an adult patient or a donor who can volunteer (Bevington, Linda, Ray, Gary, John and Christpher 14). The adult stem cells have the ability to regenerate only the particular tissue upon which they were extracted from.
The experimentation and research with embryonic stem cells is a significant milestone in research in the field of medicine. Many scholars believed that this type of research will help in treating human ailments and comprehending of the human growth (Bellomo 33). The advancement of the research was seen as a major step toward the likely cure for a number of serious diseases.
The emergence of stem cell research has elicited a highly debated political topic on its fundamental principles of its progress and application as well as in morality and ethics. For instance, a number of people may take the research in stem cell as immoral and destructive while other people can view it as best medical discovery in human history (Kristen, Miller. Jerome 11). From the implications of the debate, neither side is right or wrong ethically, but we should consider the benefits and limitations which might arise with the research and application of stem cells.
The major controversy surrounding research in stem cells involves the use of embryonic stem cells which are derived from human fertilized embryos and are then later destroyed in the process of research. Besides the great benefits which have been achieved from this research, a large section of our society argues in favor of respecting and safeguarding human embryos (Cohen 4). In order to obtain ES cells, there should be destruction of early human embryos. As a result, two extreme conflicting groups emerged; those believing and advocating for the absolute human life which starts at conception and other group which never believed in this principles (Cohen 7). The large scale spread of the issues of ethics in scientific journals and communication media started controversy on the advantages and disadvantages of human embryos research.
In that case therefore, it is necessary that the public be educated and informed in details on the policy issues and ethical concerns which arise as a result of stem cell research and later its applications (Degette 12). The policy issues on the public should be concentrated on comprehending of the science related to stem cell research and a wide section of the community should be involved. It is quite necessary to invite the civil society to get informed and deliberate on the advancement of new scientific technologies that possibly are of more important to their social life (Friedman 3).
The use of hES cells have been embroiled in web controversy involving a following issues and concerns;
Need for substitutes sources of ES cells without embryo destruction.
Undermining the likely living of the embryo while valuing the medical gains of human embryo destruction.
Replacing the ES cells with the adult stem cells.
The four major faiths in the globe back the utilization of adult stem cells only for the use of alleviating human misery. Judaism, Hinduism and Islam all back the use of hES cells because they link the start of life in the range of 3 to 5 months of conception which is after the blastocyst phase upon which the embryos are destroyed in order to get the ES cells needed for research (Gruen, Lori, Laura, and Peter 16).
Christianity on the hand is the only religion which condemns hES cell research. Christians believe that the beginning of life starts the time the embryo attaches itself to the walls of the uterine at nearly the same period the formation of the blastocyst takes place. The influence of religion on scientific advances has prompted many governments around the world to come up with policies safeguarding the research in hES cell (Herold, Eve, and George 35). For instance, in the year 2001, the US government came up with a rule which prohibited the embryo creation for research in hES and only permitted the use of cell derived before the rule.
Despite the controversy surrounding the stem cell research, several countries have advanced the research. The United States for example has tight restrictions on the issue of federal funding. Other nations are overtaking the US in the research. Countries like Switzerland, China Korea and the U.K are fully permitted to undertake research on hES cell line. But despite the loose restriction in such nations, the ethical anxiety still is of major concern (Holland, Suzanne, Karen Lebacqz, and Laurie 17).
The argument around the controversial stem cell research is that the likely gains of destroying an embryo cannot outweigh the ethical concerns. This is based on the fact that, destroying a possible human is unethical and not of basic moral principles. The moral position of human embryos makes use of two guidelines, the first one is a principle which necessitates the prevention and eradication of human suffering and the second one is the upholding the dignity of human life.
The research in stem cells is aimed at providing a collection of therapies to treat major and complicated ailments and as a result, the satisfaction of the first moral principle. But, the research in ES cells destroys a human embryo resulting in limited creation of human line. Therefore, the satisfaction of the moral principle cannot be achieved (Humber, James, and Robert 11).
The argument and the controversy start when the two main questions arise. They are; when do life starts and the embryo represents what? From the biological point of view the embryo cannot be recognized as a human being. Also, it cannot get attached to walls of the uterine until 2 week after gestation (Herold, Eve, and George 27). Some individuals argue that the embryos have the capability of becoming a human, but it is not human. In the real sense the embryo is a human possibility but not actually a human.
The Roman Catholic faiths believers have the strongest notions concerning the stem cell research. They take into the issues of the stem cell under specific conditions. from the religious perspective, the debate takes two questions one about the core of the moral debate, the other one about complicity; it questions the ability to destroy a human embryo because of medical research (Friedman 12). The Roman Catholic Church backs research in stem cell but is against a kind of research in which the stems are developed by the destruction of human embryo.
Pope Benedict XVI argued that ending the life of embryos for the purpose of research would definitely lead mankind to hell. The future research in embryos is advancing quite fast. Therefore, there is a possibility of the Vatican and whole Christian religion to agree and accept the hES research for the better of human life (Bellomo 23).
The Islam views the activity of the stem research as acceptable. The perspectives concerning the stem cell research are contained in the Shariah which is the principle for the Muslim conduct. The Qur’an states that the fetus is a human life. Islam argue that the embryo matures into a fetus on the forth month during pregnancy. Moreover, the Shari'ah differentiates potential life and actual life stating the latter to have more protection (Humber, James, and Robert 16). Therefore, one can argue before the end of month four of pregnancy, any embryo aborted cannot be regarded as a human and hence can be securely be used for research in stem cell.
There is a possibility of conducting stem cell research by making use of embryonic tissues in a manner that a number of people who are otherwise against to embryo destruction would find it morally upright. A strict regulatory conditions that protect researchers from direct engagement with abortion and the understanding that abortion willingness demonstrated by women should be put aside from the right to make use of the fetus’s tissues to conduct research (Gruen, Lori, Laura, and Peter 21).
As a result, it will decrease the opposition to the present action of federally backed fetal tissue study. The intention on the research of stem cells is important. This means that, if the intention of the research is to assist and make humans benefit, then the research is then ethical. However, if the research is done to dig money out it, then it is unethical.
Correctly performed and controlled ES cell research may result in less ethical questions than Embryo Germ cell research. Every year, a number of embryos are destroyed in clinics concerned with infertility all over the world. The likely utilization of a fetal tissue to be used in research should be raised with the concerned party mostly a woman whose abortion decision entirely lies on her. Little evidence has been shown that the woman’s decision is influenced by the benefits expected from that particular research (Bellomo 24). But the major issue of concern is about who fear that the idea of donating the embryo for research will promote and encourage abortion.
A number of implications have arisen behind the ideas relevant to the future of the study of stem cell technology. With the aim to reduce the effects on many civilians’ moral personalities, remaining embryos from infertility guidelines whose donators have individually decided that they don’t intend to keep the, should be used to establish ES cell lines (Cohen 9). When needed, the progenitors’ consent should be renewed before making use of the embryo for more research. The use of public funds should not be used to back the destruction of embryos with the aim of producing ES cell lines. This effort can be achieved by separating ES cell research from researchers.
The use of embryonic stem cells can cause cancer. The cells can be malignant. The embryonic stem cells ability to cause cancer has been disturbing researchers. The uses of adult stem cells which are more stable than the embryonic cells. The adult stem cells also are not prone to tumors as the embryonic stem cells.
The use of adult stem cells has been considered as the viable alternative. The researchers have found stem cells in most parts of the body like the brain. Also, the placenta blood and the umbilical-cord blood have been found to be plenty of stem cells. Adult stem cells have been successfully used in treatment hence reducing the need for the embryonic stem cells whose capability is mostly theoretical (Bevington, Linda, Ray, Gary, John and Christopher 54). The worthiness of adult stem cells has been experienced by human being, while the use of embryonic stem cells is yet to show any worthiness.
Stem cells have been used to overcome the conflict of immune resistance. This has emerged to be a big problem when it comes to the use embryonic stem cells. We try to do away with a compatibility problem by making use of cells from oneself (Carrier, Ewa, and Gracy 28). This is because of the ability of our body to sense and make an effort of eliminating foreign tissues introduced in them. The risk associated with the use embryonic stem cell is that when used as therapies, the condition of the patient got worse.
On the course of the research, Dr. Wycliffe Reagan, in the college of health sciences university of Nairobi got to give a feedback concerning the following questions which are of concern in the current field of stem cell research. The issue of stem cell research was examined via the following structured questions and feedback in order to clarify the ethical concerns and risks associated with the stem cell research. The following is an analysis and summary of the interview I had with the Dr. Reagan.
Dr. Reagan stated that the reason he took a research on stem cells is to evoke a powerful passion in which he as a researcher aims to find a solution to cure dreadful diseases which are threatening the human line currently. It is a major step in improving the health of the people of the world and also finding solutions to the ever recurring problems in our society. From the interview, he stated that there are many injuries and ailments which can be treated by using the stem cells.
The researchers have discovered that the stem cells power can be utilized to treat ailments such as juvenile diabetes, Parkinsons’ disease. The cells can also treat and repair spinal coed injuries. The research can is expecting a lot of possibilities in treating a variety of diseases which are of major concern currently. The research in stem cell is an additional way of curing a number of diseases identified as targets in the future.
But, stem cells may not play whole part of performing the treatment for those ailments but will play a role of assisting us in understanding in details those kinds of ailments. He argues that we as human beings are required to understand ourselves and what makes us complete as human beings. Some of the stem cell research such as the ES cell research requires the destruction of a human embryo. This therefore means that we have to decide how to view such research whether as ethical or non-ethical.
The embryo which is maturing is composed of an array of cells meaning that the embryo is a complete living organism. Under the microscope, the blastocyst has not developed yet and we should not expect to see arms, legs or even the face. This is because, after even 5 days after conception, the shape of an organism of a human being is a hollow sphere.
Dr. Reagan believes that Christians are against the production of stem cells. They are opposing the deriving and destruction of human life for the purpose of medical research. The ethical concern raises controversy on the whole debate involving how the society feels about the developing technology in the creation of stem cells for the purpose of pursuing the likeliness of future mechanisms in order to promote the human health.
He further argues that their main aim is to come up with a way in which they can utilize the cells to create stem cells without the necessity of developing an embryo and they are hoping that technology will assist in rescuing them from the criticism they are facing from the Christian society. A recent technology called Oocyte Assisted Reprogramming (OAR) can help to achieve that. The technology will be ethically acceptable since it does not involve the creation and destruction of the human embryo. If the main goal will be attained, then the Christian definitely will support the approach same way they back the adult stem cells research.
The use of stem cells has been extremely amazing in the field of medical research. But much controversy, technical problems and ethical issues have hindered the advancement of research in stem cells. This research is to some extent an instance of a difficult analysis which scientists need to undertake on the cost-benefit-analysis of the research. Many issues concerning the ethics of stem cell research have not been resolved thus hindering the real discourse. The whole process of bioethics has also been put at stake but again, it is worth it because of the many pains and sufferings that are resolved in due course. The issue is to trust ourselves and our researchers in stem cell research to achieve its potential and not being concerned about the ethics and morals. Humans are imperfect in several ways, therefore we should not dismiss innovation which is to better our lives but instead we should devise a way of adapting and encouraging our advancements in stem cell research to protect ourselves from threatening diseases such as cancer and diabetes.
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