Stem Cell Research Good/Bad
Essay by 24 • November 15, 2010 • 569 Words (3 Pages) • 1,993 Views
Stem cell research is a new technique developed to extract stem cells from human embryos and aborted fetuses. Stem cells are cells from a human organism which are capable of becoming many different kinds of human tissue in the body. Stem cells, specifically, are cells that have not been fully differentiated as particular cells and can potentially become any tissue in the human body. The major purposes or goals of doing stem cell research are to gain scientific knowledge about embryonic development and its application to other related fields. As well as curing debilitating diseases, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, diabetes, strokes, spinal cord injuries, and bone diseases. Because stem cells are extracted from aborted fetuses they have been tied to the abortion controversy.
Eleni Berger a writer for CNN wrote an article entitled "The Stem Cell Controversy and Ethics", in her article Eleni discuses that using material from an aborted fetus is unethical. Eleni states it is ethically unacceptable to destroy any amount of human beings in order to possibly save one. However research shows that the number of aborted fetuses needed to potentially save one hundred people is one. In other words, one aborted fetus has enough stem cells in it to be utilized and given to one hundred people. Without trying to sound heartless these numbers are very efficient. If I could save one hundred people with the cells in my body I would honorably sacrifice myself for others. It is unfair to assume everyone would make this choice but I am sure the aborted fetuses would feel the same way if they were not aborted and allowed to develop in to a person and asked later in life.
To be heartless again, the fetuses have already been terminated and not having been developed in to a person will be waste products. It is only logical to use the fetuses if they can save lives. Eleni objects to embryonic stem cell research, holding the view that life begins at conception. It is naпve to think you can change
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