Human Stem Cell Research: Is It Ethical?

Jared Whitworth

Contemporary Health

11-29-15

Human Stem Cell Research: Is it ethical?

        As the cure for Cancer, AIDs and other deadly diseases and viruses has become more heavily pursued scientists are turning to Human Stem Cell Research for answers. Human Stem Cell Research has been studied since the mid 1800s, the scientists did not yet know they were dealing with stem cells, but they knew they has regenerative characteristics. The first bone marrow transplant was successfully completed in 1968 using stem cells (Murnaghan). While many things have been accomplished through this research; like the regenerating of some skin, bone, and cornial injuries, there a very few treatments that have been clinicaly proven to be safe and effective. So is the funding millions of dollars, hours of research, and the dark side of  Human Stem Cell Research (Embryoninc Stem Cell Research) actually logical, or moral?

        Recently at MIT, a group of researchers made some big discoveries on how brest cancer cells move from one place to another and colonize through studying the stem cells of breast cancer. They discovered that TAMs are very important compnents of the CSC niche, in other words they discoverd some ways that the cells travel (Women’s Health Weekly p.365). However they do not yet know how to treat it. Think of the hours of researching, and tons of money that was put into finding this informaion; yes, it is a great discovery, but they still dont know how to stop the movement of  cancer cells. Scientists always say that Human Stem Cell Research is a Promising field; it may have been fourty years ago, but in the past fifteen years, not a whole lot has been accomplished. Even less has been discovered through Embryonic Stem Cell Research.        Now there have been some dicoveries, such as Embryonic Stem Cells may be used to treat ALS, Alzheimer’s, and blindness, but none of that is actually clinicaly proven. If it was clinicaly proven and effective, I could understand the heavy research done on embryonic stem cells, but its not. According to Dr. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, a nationally respected neurosceintist and theologian,  the “claim that embryonic stem cell research shows the greatest promise for curing diesease ‘is vastly oversold’ The number of those cured by the use of such cells is ‘exactly zero.” (National Catholic Reporter) It is not necessary to end a unborn child’s life for research when there are other alternatives. Recently, Jun Wu of the Salk Institute discovered F- Class “fuzzy” cells in rats that have embryonic properties, they aren’t sticky like other stem cells and dont grow in smooth, compact clupmps, so they are easily altered and researched. On top of that, Induced Ploripotent Stem Cells (iPS cells) are created by coaxing adult skin cells into an embryonic like state by dosing them with a mixture of four specifc proteins thst reprogram the cell. (Ehrenberg) According to a news report from Stockholm, Sweeden, stem cells that are extremely similar to embryonic stem cells can be taken from the umbilical cord, which causes no harm to the baby (Women’s Health Weekly p.71). Yet Embryonic Stem Cell Research is becoming more and more popular.