The ability to grow and develop organs that can be received by any person is an incredible medical feat. This feat is only possible with the use of embryonic stem cells. Stem cells have an incredible capability of developing and reproducing into any type of human cell. They are found in embryos of humans, about a week after fertilization. The cells can duplicate indefinitely, giving them the capability to produce entire organs that are free of receptor cells. Receptor cells are basically ID tags on organs that lead to the rejection of organs during transplants. With no receptor cells on stem cell grown organs there is very little chance for rejection of the organ in the patient. It is this versatility that makes stem cells so valuable.
While some people see stem cells as an incredible medical opportunity to save thousands of lives, there are ethical issues that have been raised. The retrieval of stem cells from the embryo comes at a costly price, the death of the fertilized embryo. This is where the debate comes in; is it moral right to kill a fertilized embryo that would develop into a human being, in order to grow an organ that would potentially save another person’s life. Many people would say no, that to kill one potential human being to save another cannot be justified. These people view the fertilized embryo as a human life, and the death of the embryo as murder. Other people don’t think that the fertilized embryo should be considered a human life if it is just an embryo in a scientific lab. But at what point is an embryo or a fetus considered a human life, and does it matter if it’s in a test tube in some research lab, or in the womb of a mother? This conflict has gained national attention and has been heavily debated for years now. Both sides are well represented, and appear to be at a stale mate.
Here are two websites, one in support of embryonic stem cell, and one against it.
I think that the pro life, against stem cell research proves to be the most compelling. I think that the article is well written, and does a good job comparing the medical and ethical debate.
