The Culturing of Embryonic Stem Cells - Essay Example

Stem Cell Stem cell research is a controversial because of the serious ethical issues involved in it. The morality of destroying embryos for saving the life of others is unacceptable to many people. At the same time, medical science has no doubt about the utility of stem cell research for the wellbeing of human since it believes that stem cell research can find answers to some of the genetic diseases and other serious diseases like cancer, heart problems etc. For example, around 30,800 annual leukemia cases are reported in USA including 10,800 lymphocytic, 15,000 myeloid and 5,000 other leukemias (Statistics by Country for Leukemia). Stem cells seem to be the only option available for leukemia patients. In my opinion, stem cell research should be allowed when we consider the terrible nature of leukemia and other diseases for which stem cell treatment seems to be the only option available at present. Medical researchers are of the view that stem cell therapy has the potential to revolutionize the treatment of human diseases. For example, bone marrow transplants are believed to be the only treatment option to counter the threats of leukemia. In order to develop more in treating leukemia with born marrow transplantation, stem cell research is necessary. Researchers believe that technologies derived from stem cell research can be effectively used in the treatment of many other diseases also. However, still there many controversies surrounding the ethics and effectiveness of stem cell research. Some people believe that the transplanted stem cells could form tumors in future because of the uncontrolled cell division. Stem cells have the ability to renew themselves even after long periods of inactivity. Moreover it can regularly divide to repair and replace worn out or damaged tissues. According to Goldstein, & Schneider (2010), the potentials of stem cell research is huge. It can find solutions for the devastating disease like cancer, Parkinson’s disease, diabetics’ heart diseases, etc (Goldstein, & Schneider, p.5). Many of the genetic diseases and other serious diseases like the ones mentioned above are threatening the sustainment of human life on earth at present. Irrespective of developed or developing countries, cancer is a big health problem everywhere in the world. Millions of people all over the world are losing their life because of cancer and other serious diseases. The discovery, isolation, and culturing of human embryonic stem cells has been brought glimpses of hope among the patients who are suffering from chronic diseases. Even if the current generation may benefit less from stem cell research, it is quite sure that the future generation may get huge benefits out of stem cell research. According to Dr Rickard (2002), “the culturing of embryonic stem cells holds tremendous potential for the development of new forms of regenerative medicine to treat debilitating or fatal conditions that would not otherwise be curable” (Dr Rickard, p.1). Medical since has failed to develop effective treatments for some severe diseases. Stem cells on the other hand, are believed to be an option for such diseases. Under such circumstances, it is better to use it for the protection of valuable lives rather than thinking too much about the morality of the actions. An action performed with good intention should be considered as moral or ethical. According to the famous ethical theory, utilitarianism, an action can be justified if it brings some utility. In other words, stem cell research using embryos is ethically right according to utilitarianism since such researches bring utility to the human being. Utilitarianism emphasizes the prevention of suffering, no matter how we prevent the sufferings. However, the question of destroying embryos for the betterment of our life has raised serious ethical issues. Many people believe that destruction of embryo is similar to killing of a human being. In their opinion, both the life of an embryo and the life of a human are equally valuable. At the same time we should remember that the life of an embryo is not developed fully and hence considering such underdeveloped life with fully developed human life is not logical in my opinion. I strongly believe that moral principles should be applied to fully developed life alone rather than generalizing it. An embryo is another creature which attains the human shape only after its birth. If we consider life of an embryo equal with human life, we should give same respect to the life of animals also. Those who are opposing embryo destruction should remember that we are killing millions of animals for our food daily. If the killing of animals for the food purpose can be justified, destruction of embryos for saving the lives of millions of people should also be justified. . Lanza et al, (2009) have mentioned that “the question of embryo’s moral status and the ethics of its destruction are relevant in stem cell research” (Lanza et al, p.601). Most of the people or religions believe that human life is the most important thing on earth even though, Hindus, consider the life of animals also as important as that of the life of the human beings. In their opinion, every human after the end of their life will reborn as animals of some kind based on their activities performed when they were humans. In short, only the Hindus value the life of animals as important as that of humans. However, the rest of the religions believe that the God has created human on earth and all the other living and nonliving things were created for the betterment of human life. In my opinion, embryos should also be considered as another living thing rather than a human being. We should remember that many of the conceptions get aborted naturally and nobody treats it as the death of a human being. Moreover, no religions are performing any rituals for the burial of the aborted embryo. In other words, no religions consider abortion as the death of a human being. If the religions treat the embryos as human being, the embryos should also get the same rituals as that of the human being for the burial. Under such circumstances, embryo life cannot be considered similar to the life of a human being. In my opinion, an embryo may become a real human only after it taking birth on earth. Even though, science and technology developed a lot, still we are unable to unveil the miseries surrounding life. Nobody knows from where we come and where we go after death. Even though science does not have the answer to above question, religions have well defined answers to the above question. Religions educate us that the creator has some definite plans about sending us to earth and those who complete the missions of God successfully may get eternal life after death. Religions believe that all the things we are seeing in this universe are the creations of God. According to Christian belief God has created everything in this universe for the betterment of human life. Go gave us wisdom and knowledge in order to work hard for the betterment of human life. Under such circumstances, stem cell research should not be considered unethical since the intention behind such a research is sacred. We have invented many things for the betterment of human life on earth. Stem cell research also should be considered as another effort for making the human life better on earth. Remaining idle, even after finding solutions for a problem is highly questionable. In other words, the logic and ethics in leaving a person in miserable condition even after knowing the solution to lift him from that pathetic condition is also remains highly controversial. Many people believe that preferences should be given to the wellbeing of the people who are alive now rather than the wellbeing of an embryo which has not attained the human status yet. In other words, remaining idle even after knowing the solution of problems is more unethical than destroying an embryo. For example, we have no worries in giving capital punishments to serious criminals since such criminals may raise immense threat to the lives of other innocent people. In other words, we have no regrets in killing a criminal for saving others. In short, many people believe that the safety of the living people are more important than the safety of those who are not entered the earth. In short, stem cell research includes serious ethical issues. The destruction of embryo for the betterment of human life is controversial. The question of; whether the life of embryo (underdeveloped life) and the life of human (fully developed), equal or not is difficult to answer. At the same time, considering the utility of stem cell usages in treating severe diseases, stem cell research should be encouraged. The developed human should get preference over the underdeveloped embryo. Morality and ethical principles are valid only for the developed human life rather than that of the embryo. Staying away from stem cell research citing ethical reasons is suicidal and the future generation will never forgive it to us. Works Cited 1. Dr Rickard, Maurice. “Key Ethical Issues in Embryonic Stem Cell Research” 2002. Current Issues Brief No. 5 2002–03. Department of the Parliamentary Library. Commonwealth of Australia. 2002. Web. 11 December 2010. 2. Goldstein, Lawrence S.B & Schneider, Meg. Stem Cells for Dummies”. 2010. Publisher: For 2 Dummies; 1 edition (February, 2010) 3. Lanza, Robert. Gearhart, John. Hogan, Brigid. Melton, Douglas. Pederson, Roger E. Thomas, Donnall. Thomson, James. Sir Wilmut Ian. “Essentials of Stem Cell Biology”. Publisher: Academic Press; 2nd edition (July 6, 2009) 4. “Statistics by Country for Leukemia”. 2010. Web. 11 December 2010. Read More