The Ethical Implications Of Stem Cell Research - 2147 Words

As scientific research broadens its scope to accommodate new technology and theories, controversial issues are debated and inspected, all in hopes of finding answers to long awaited scientific questions. Though science has come across many ethical road blocks set forth by the government, lawyers, and even the community it has continued to move forward in the hopes of encountering creative, constructive, and confounding new ways of creating cures for problems seen by many. Bioethics, as defined by Merriam Websters, is â€Å"the discipline dealing with the ethical implications of biological research and applications especially in medicine† (â€Å"Bioethics†). Bioethics can be found in almost every form of research, two of which will be focused on in this research paper, the question of when science begins to overstep it’s boundaries and what can be considered ‘acceptable’ from a scientific standpoint will discussed in reference to stem cell research an d genetic testing on animals and humans. The history of stem cells is a short, yet complex, one that must first be studied to understand the ethics behind this research. Essentially, stem cells are single cells that can either rapidly replicate themselves, or they can specialize themselves into many different types of cells in order to perform different functions. They can do tasks such as safely and effectively providing therapy by molding their function to most any need of those who are suffering from diseases or injuries such asShow MoreRelatedHuman Embryonic Stem Cell Research1625 Words   |  7 PagesProduction and the Scientific and Therapeutic Use of Human Embryonic Stem Cells, the Pontifical Academy for Life presents the field of stem cell research with a statement regarding the official Roman Catholic position on the moral aspects of acquiring and using human embryonic stem cells.  They have declared that it is not morally legitimate to produce or use human embryos as a source of stem cells, nor is it acceptable to use stem cells from cell lines already established. Thus, bringing up the conflictingRead MoreThe Ethics Of Stem Cell Research1365 Words   |  6 PagesStem cells are cells that have the potential to develop into different types of cells in the body. Stem cells also act as a repair system for many tissues in the body by dividing repeatedly to replenish other cells within a person (National Institutes of Health). Stem cell research seeks to further the advancement of the use of stem cells as well as to find an ethical way to study them. In November 1998, researchers found a way to isolate and culture human embryonic stem cells, (Bevington 2005).Read MoreThe Ethical Implications Of Embryonic Stem Cell Therapy1399 Words   |  6 Pages The advancement of embryonic stem cell therapies and transplants has drastically changed the realm of medical research. However, the use of human embryos is an ethical concern among researchers around the world. There are several benefits for embryonic stem cells therapy. Embryonic stem cells are beneficial to researchers due to their unique ability to replicate themselves and make specialized cells for any tissue in the body. These cells serve as a potential to cure various diseases and disabilitiesRead MoreThe Debate Of Embryonic Stem Cell Research931 Words   |  4 Pages Embryonic stem cell research is the study of stem cells derived from the undifferentiated inner mass cells of a human embryo. For many years now, the ethics of embryonic stem cell research has been argued. A recent advance in this line of research is the ability to clone the embryonic stem cells, which allows for researchers to create a completely compatible embryonic stem cell to the individual’s tissue type. Though this new science may be very beneficial, not everyone can agree on the ethics ofRead MoreTherapeutic Cloning And Its Controversy1313 Words   |  6 Pagescure people of diseases with their own cells is one that scientists, physicians, and those who are afflicted by such diseases find very enticing. Therapeutic cloning is a process that scientists believe has the potential to achieve such goals in the future. While therapeutic cloning brings with it a variety of potential benefits and innovations, it also carries with it a polarizing ethical conflict that poses a strong impediment to furthering such research and development. By realizing therapeuticRead MoreControversy Surrounding Research And Therapeutic Use Of Stem Cell Technology831 Words   |  4 Pages Controversy surrounding research and therapeutic use of stem cells has been a contentious and socially polarizing matter for a few decades. Arguments lie largely between the scientific community and the general pub lic, although intragroup disagreements also persist today. These disparate views for and against stem cells arise out of the bioethical implications of an inchoate innovation, the general public’s tenuous understanding of the underlying technology itself, and sociopolitical ideologiesRead MoreThe Debate Of Embryonic Stem Cell Research1711 Words   |  7 PagesEmbryonic stem cell research is a hot topic of debate in our modern age, as scientific development continues to push the boundaries of ethics. The debates lies in whether or not it is helping or hindering society, as the procedure involves the manipulation of a human embryo. Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are derived from a week old human embryo (blastocyst), often developed from unused in vitro fertilised eggs. They are pluripotent, meaning they are capable of undergoing directed differentiation andRead More Politics and Stem Cell Research Essay examples850 Words   |  4 PagesPolitics and Stem Cell Research The President’s Council on Bioethics published â€Å"Monitoring Stem Cell Research† in 2004. This report was written in response to President Bush’s comments regarding research of human stem cells on August 9, 2001. President Bush announced that he was going to make federal funding available for research that involved existing lines of stem cells that came from embryos. He is the first president to provide any type of financial support for the research of human stem cellsRead MoreWhen Life Begins638 Words   |  3 Pagesis considered alive. We have laws in society that protect life. However, we don’t always consider an embryo to be a living thing. It is currently a hot topic of discussion whether or not to allow and use stem cells taken from embryos. The fact that cells must come from women also raises ethical questions concerning therapeutic cloning as this can lead to the exploitation of women. Many people also believe that such technology is unnatural and similar to taking nature in your own hand. Creating clonesRead MoreStem Cell Research : The Future Of Medicine Essay1216 Words   |  5 Pagestheir discovery in the 1980s, stem cells have been considered one of the most exciting concepts in the scientific community. Stem cells represented untold implications for medicine, and for the last three decades researchers have continued to explore the many opportunities stem cell research has to offer. Today, the future of stem cells is still bright, and scientists are closer than ever to successfully implementing their clinical applications. However, stem cell research remains a highly controversial