Stem Cell Research - Essay Example

Stem cell research provides potential cures for some incurable diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis among others. The damage caused by this diseases and conditions is normally irreversible to the affected cells or organs. Stems cells can be used to induce repair or replacement of diseased or damaged cells thus effectively restoring the functions of previously damaged organs. This way numerous nervous system diseases that are as a result of loss of nerve cells can also be treated.

Stem cells also provide potential cure to birth defects, by attempting to correct cellular errors that happened before birth thus clearing the defects. The stem cells are introduced to the affected organ in a bid to induce repair or regeneration. With stem cell research, the effects of drugs and medicine can be tested on particular populations of cells thus eliminating the use of animals and human testers. This involves simulating the effects of a drug on the targeted cell line to establish any adverse effects.

Stem cell research provides an opportunity to make cells and tissues for use in medical therapy. Tissues and organs can be grown in laboratories from stem cells for use in transplants since the number organ transplant needs exceeds the number of organs available transplantation. This could also help in future transplants as the patient receives a tissue or organ from own cell line, thus there are no chances of rejection during transplantation (Pillai). The study of stem cells could help scientists understand the normal process cell development and establish how medical conditions such as cancer and birth defects come to be, and how they can be corrected.

An extensive understanding of cellular development through stem cell research will grant prevention and treatment of abnormal human developments. Stem cell research has led to discovery of treatments that can help in slowing the aging process and my hold the key to reversing the effects of aging, thus prolonging human life. As one’s stem cells age, they are no longer able to regenerate effectively as before but anti-aging products borne from stem cells, seeks out the aging stems cells in the skin, regenerating them (Anti-Aging Stem Cell Research).

However, ethical issues crop up as to how and where the stem cells are obtained and the price that is paid to achieve objectives of stem cell research. To obtain embryonic stem cells, blastocysts that are generated by fertilizing human eggs in the laboratory are destroyed. For persons who share the belief that life begin at conception, the act is equivocal destroying human life which is unacceptable (Pillai). Financial challenges bear a significant role in research involving stem cells, in the form of purchases made in regard to buying equipment meant for use in the research (Connor).

Funding this research involves investing heavily in a world that is already financially constrained. Just like any other filed in medicine, the issue of commercialization has caused debate on a wide scale. Financial challenges in this case are brought out in the form of ethical issues. For example, introducing commerce in stem cell research makes stem cell tissues and embryos into tradable goods and commodities. in addition, researchers could have commercial