Stem Cell Research?
I have a few questions on stem cell research..gotta give a speech on it..TODAY!
Examples: What are the advantages/disadvantages? Why do people object to the research? What are the laws? Are there any alternatives? What is the potential of stem cell research? Any statistics?
ANY information would be much appreciated.
Comments
One importnat aspect...
Human embrios are not "incubated" for the purpose of stem cell research. One of the fears to legalizing these processes is that it will start a black market of human embrios. Here's the thing.
One idea...
In Vitro fertilization is legal however. During this process, the lab will take up to 20 ova from a female and fertilize them with the male's sperm and put them into storage. The fertilized egg is then transferred into the woman's uterus. They need so many fertilized eggs because rarely the procedure works the first try. Usually the woman will have to go back to the doctor a few times and have the process repeated before the egg "catches". At that point pregnancy takes place and there is no use for the remaining fertilized eggs. They are kept for about two to five years in case the woman wants to do it again, but then they are thrown out in the garbage. Why would you throw out these human embrios, when valuable medical research can be done on them. They aren't kept anyway. Would it not go toward the sanctity of life to allow these embrios to contribute to mankind instead of just tossing them out?
The debate on stem cell research is based on embriotic stem cells. The ones that they use for research are extras. They are extra from people trying to conceive and they get one good one and dont need the rest, so either they throw them out as medical waste or they use them for stem cell research. An alternative is to use stem cells that come form other sources, such as donors....they dont need to use embryos, they can use stem cells from adult donors as well. The researchers wouldnt mid using the embryos because they are being tossed away as waste anyway. ANd generally speaking, they're not talking about aborted fetuses, although that can be another source.
I had a gentleman in my country couples dance class who told me the only reason he is alive today is that he had a stem cell transplant. That it had saved his life. Now that research has proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that amniotic fluid, and cord blood both contain life giving stem cells - I say we just need to invent some type of collection device so that when a woman's water breaks it can just flow in a bottle and be used to save lives. I understand the objections to fertilizing embryos and them destroying them to get stem cells but don't understand what is wrong with collecting otherwise garbage fluids.
I object to it because I believe life begins at conception. Human life is sacred and we should not use one to better someone elses.