Mainstream Views on Stem Cell Research - Essay Example

My research question is as follows: do medical advancements and biomedical progress outweigh the controversial ethical and moral acts made in stem cell research? My argument is that the medical and social benefits stem cell research brings to humanity are the past progress and future development of the research. For the analysis and argument on stem cell research, three academic sources were selected.

The article by L. Leydesdorff and I. Hellsten's “Metaphors and Diaphors in Science Communication: Mapping the Case of Stem-Cell Research” in Science Communication examines the term “stem cell” and how it varies in different contexts of research, applications, and policy debates. From the very beginning, the authors emphasize the pressing importance of stem cell research, indicating that United States President George W. Bush addressed the political and social issue of stem cell research, specifically, embryonic stem cell research and it was the first time an American President had gone on national television in a special broadcast on a bioethical issue (Leydesdorff & Hellsten, 71). Later in November 2001, Bush convinced Congress to ban reproductive and therapeutic cloning of stem cells (Leydesdorff & Hellsten, 71). The authors point out that these restrictive policies have greatly affected both scientific research in the United States and the public debate over stem cell research. More specifically Leydesdorff and Hellsten focus on the communication of stem cell research to the general public and the importance of it to the latter. From the authors’ perspective, it is evident that stem cell research will receive the fullest reception from society.

In her book “Stem Cell Research” Lillian Forman provides a thorough analysis of almost every aspect of stem cell research, from its medical potential and future benefits to policy problems associated with research implementation. Forman explains in scientific terms what stem cell research constitutes and the difference between embryonic stem cells and adult stem cell development. The position of the author regarding stem cell research is embedded in the statement made by University of Wisconsin scientist James Thompson: there are 400,000 frozen embryos in the United States, and a large percentage of those are going to be thrown out, and it makes sense that it is a better moral decision to use them to help people than just to throw them out. Stem cells can be transplanted into the body to treat diseases and injuries: from Parkinson's disease and diabetes to Alzheimer’s disease and stroke.

The purpose of the book “Stem Cell Wars” by Eve Herold is to provide a clear and understandable explanation of what stem cell research is, to answer why it is a debatable policy, and to demonstrate what modern science is capable of. Among three sources selected for stem cell research analysis, Herold’s book provides the most distinctive and fundamental analysis of its moral and ethical implications. From the critical perspective, Eve Herold takes a clear scientific side in this debate, arguing that opponents of stem cell research have managed to deeply entangle it in millions of people’s minds with the practice of abortion (Herold, 68). Herold indicates that since the first stem cell was isolated at the University of Wisconsin, moral opponents have carried on a massive campaign of misinformation, to the extent that millions of Americans are either deeply confused about what the research entails or believe that mainstream scientists are immoral and unethical. The author’s final argument states that stem cells have the potential to treat or even cure the more than 100 million Americans who suffer from an array of illnesses and conditions from heart disease to spinal cord injuries.
Stem cell research received extensive attention from publicists, academics, scientists, and political analysts. Therefore, the main challenge in the literature search was to find reliable and adequate materials that not only provide authors’ positions on the debate but also conduct a thorough analysis of the issue from multiple perspectives. I believe Eve Herold’s book is a primary example of an ideal academic resource for this research. Another obstacle during the research was that some of the literature on stem cell research is either too biased, particularly religious articles and publications, or too technical and thus difficult to understand without medical background and knowledge. Read More