Abortion and Stem Cells - Essay Example

Would the movement to further stem cell research, research that includes the use of embryos received from abortion procedures, lead to an increase of abortions because people would see the outcome as improving a greater cause? The answer to this question is no. I do not believe that stem cell research involving aborted embryos would lead to an increase of abortion rates, nor would it encourage an increase in pregnancies for the purpose of donating the embryos to stem cell research. The only way that anyone would ever see such increases is if, and only if, they attached monetary gains to the procedures.

That is unlikely to happen so it is not an issue. However, once stem cell research in this country has the opportunity to spread its wings it may no longer require the use of embryos at all. They may find other means to obtain and research the stem cells that have so much potential in changing modern medicine. For example, they may be able to harvest stem cells from our adult bodies efficiently and successfully. Therefore, I firmly believe, there is little chance of there being an increase in abortion rates because I see a future where the relationship between stem cell research and abortion will be eliminated.

I think the overall argument is faulty, to me, it is no different than asking the question does organ donation increase suicide rates in order to donate more organs to those who need them? It is, in my mind, a biased attempt to gain support from those people who already have feelings against abortion to associate stem cell research with something that they already find disagreeable, forcing them to marry the two concepts in their minds; if one is “bad” then they both must be.