Jessica Umanzor
English 21003 Sec A
Professor Sidibe
10/10/18
The Use of Embryonic Stem Cell Research
Embryonic stem cells has been revolutionary form of science that has improved therapy for many people around the world. Its used as therapeutic treatment for health issues such as spinal cord injuries and macular degeneration as well as being used for tissue engineering and stem cell banking. Religion plays a large role in whether or not embryonic stem cells research is an ethical form of science. As a result, it causes restrictions to the furthering of embryonic stem cell research, therefore limiting the ability to understand just how much these pluripotent cells can change the way we treat patients worldwide. Though the religious community believes that ending embryonic stem cell research is ethically correct, the immense amount of lives that will be saved outweigh the moral implications.
Ethical guidelines are important within the scientific community as it provides restrictions to exactly how scientists may push the studies limitations. In a way it keeps them from becoming “mad scientist” and instead keeps their research on a path to helping humanity. Religion has influenced ethical guidelines through debating how some scientific methods are immoral and go against the natural flow of life. Not only that, it goes further to defend everyday human rights, no matter how small the individual, which would include a fertilized egg. “People who oppose or support stem cell research can be philosophically divided into different categories. For instance, some opponents emphasize the dignity of human beings and that every person is an end and not only a means to some other end. This idea is consistent with deontology. It means that every person, likely including a foetus, should be respected and protected,”(“Stem Cells” Ethical and Religious Issues). By idealistic standards, embryonic stem cells research remains to be controversial, however, it depends on how the research is perceived by the individual. There are people who, despite their religious background, are able to understand the revolutionary impact embryonic stem cell research can have. Simple procedures that are not heavily invasive, can change the ways in which someone is able to life their life to the fullest potential.
One of the largest forms of progress with embryonic stem cells is with the progress of vascular tissue technology. Through this form of modern technology, stem cells are used in order to create new fuctioning tissues within the human body which can later be transplanted with the non functioning tissue in an affected subject. As a result, they are able to live a normal life as if they had never had the defected tissue at all, which can radically change living conditions. “Multiple methods such as cell aggregation, micro-fabrication, cell sheeting, and cell printing are utilized to generate modular tissues,”(NCBI). The methods stated are all done with the use of stem cells and as a result they are able form a fully functioning tissue. This is just an example as to how incredible these cells are, they can differentiate into anything the the body and create something that could only be donated by another living human. Overall, stem cells are used for saving lives, despite how ironic that may seem from a religious standpoint it doesnt change the facts of how it can radically improve lives.
Politics have been able to change the ways in which embryonic stem cell research is limited throughout the world as a result of ethics, especially for religious reasons and health concerns. Within the United States there has been change in the way limitations are given to these researchers. The national institution of health guidelines(NIH) is able to explain the ways in which stem cells research is supposed to be followed in the United States. A majority of these guidelines are specific to embryonic stem cells, such as the process of harvesting embryonic stem cells has a requirement, for there to be given consent for use (National Institutes of Health Guidelines for Human Stem Cell Research). The harvesting process is very important to take note of as this does its best in keeping up the ethicality of the use of these cells. By having unused fertilized embryos given for harvesting by consent, it allows there to be control. If one is fully against this, they have no reason to donate, however if they do choose to, it is going into a helpful cause. Usually these embryos that remain outside the uterus die anyway so by donating them, they at least are able to serve a purpose instead of just being thrown away.
The ability to continue the process of embryonic stem cell research without the heavier restrictions brought upon by ethical guidelines are incredibly important in improving the ways in which its research is to develop. How it has affected political laws for which scientists are to be restricted to is what differentiates research from country to country. Nonetheless, it is important to have both sides fighting for their cause. Because with the constant debate of what is right and wrong, we remain to continue to look what outweighs the other when if come to changing humanity for the better.
Works Cited
- Zahedi-Anaraki, Farzaneh, and Bagher Larijani. Http://Emrc.Tums.Ac.Ir/Upfiles/91646273.Pdf. University Of Medical Sciences, 2011, pp. 1-16, Accessed 5 Oct 2018.
- Kington, Raynard S. “National Institutes of Health Guidelines for Human Stem Cell Research.” National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, stemcells.nih.gov/policy/2009-guidelines.htm.
- Mohamed, Heather Silber. Embryonic Politics: Attitudes About Abortion, Stem Cell Research, And IVF*. Religion And Politics Section Of The American Political Science Association, 2018, pp. 1-39, Accessed 5 Oct 2018.
- Wang, Ying, et al. Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports., U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5603030/.
Position Paper Draft
Jessica Umanzor
English 21003 Sec A
Professor Sidibe
10/5/18
The Use of Embryonic Stem Cell Research
Embryonic stem cells has been revolutionary form of science that has improved therapy for many people around the world. Its used as therapeutic treatment for health issues such as spinal cord injuries and macular degeneration as well as being used for tissue engineering and stem cell banking. Religion plays a large role in whether or not embryonic stem cells research is an ethical form of science. As a result, it causes restrictions to the furthering of embryonic stem cell research, therefore limiting the ability to understand just how much these pluripotent cells can change the way we treat patients worldwide. Religion may have be right in attempting to end embryonic stem cell research as it can be considered violating human rights, however, the scientific community agrees that by furthering research they can save more lives.
Ethical guidelines are important within the scientific community as it provides restrictions to exactly how much scientists can do with science. In a way it keeps them from becoming “mad scientist”and instead keep their research on a path to helping humanity. Religion has influenced ethical guidelines through debating how some scientific methods are immoral and go against the natural flow of life. Not only that, it goes further to defend human rights, not matter how small the individual, which would include a fertilized egg. “People who oppose or support stem cell research can be philosophically divided into different categories. For instance, some opponents emphasize the dignity of human beings and that every person is an end and not only a means to some other end. This idea is consistent with deontology. It means that every
person, likely including a foetus, should be respected and protected,”(stem cells” ethical and religious issues). By idealistic standards, embryonic stem cells research remains to be controversial depending on how the research is perceived by the individual. There are people who, despite their religious background, are able to understand embryonic stem cell research can change the ways in which someone is able to life their life as a regular person.
One of the largest forms of progress with embryonic stem cells is with the progress of vascular tissue technology. This is when stem cells are used in order to create new fuctioning tissues within the human body which can later be transplanted with the nonfunctioning tissue in an affected subject. Though this they are able to live a normal life as if they had never had the defected tissue at all, which can radically change lives. “Multiple methods such as cell aggregation, micro-fabrication, cell sheeting, and cell printing are utilized to generate modular tissues,”(NCBI). These are all done with the use of stem cells and as a result they are able forma fully functioning tissue. This is just an example as to how incredible these cells are, they can differentiate into anything the the body and create something that could only be donated by another living human.
Politics have been able to change the ways in which embryonic stem cell research is limited throughout the world as a result of ethics, especially for religious reasons and health concerns. Within the United States there has been change in the way limitations are given to these researchers. The national institution of health guidelines(NIH) is able to explain the ways in which stem cells research is supposed to be followed in the United States. A majority of these guidelines are specific to embryonic stem cells such as how in order to harvest the embryonic stem cells is it a requirement for there to be given consent for use (National Institutes of Health Guidelines for Human Stem Cell Research). The harvesting process is very important to take note of as this does its best in keeping up the thicallity of the use of these cells. By having unused fertilized embryos given for harvesting by consent, it allows there to be control. If one is fully against this, they have no reason to donate, however if they do choose to, it is going into a helpful because. Usually the embryos that remain outside the uterus dies anyway so by donating they at least are able to serve a purpose instead of just being thrown away.
The ability to continue the process of embryonic stem cell research without the heavier restrictions brought upon by ethical guidelines are incredibly important in improving the ways in which its research is to develop. How it has affected political laws for which scientists are to be restricted to is what differentiates research from country to country. Nonetheless, it is important to have both sides fighting for their cause. Because with that, we remain to keep science from going mad.
http://emrc.tums.ac.ir/upfiles/91646273.pdf
https://stemcells.nih.gov/policy/2009-guidelines.htm
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5603030/
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