Stem Cell Research

Essay by chris7790College, UndergraduateA+, November 2009

download word file, 4 pages 0.0

Stem cells have the potential to develop into many different cell types in the body. Researchers have expanded this discovery to apply it to human health issues. I don't support stem cell research because of my religious beliefs and the fact that I do indeed stand behind them. Research began to be explored due to stem cells having been found to serve as a repair system for the body that can divide without any limit to replenish other cells as long as the person or animal is living. This seems like a wonderful discovery to put into practice but, the question is, at what cost?There are many human diseases in the world today caused by air pollution or by other inevitable reasons. The purpose of researching the stem cell is to gain important scientific knowledge about embryonic development and to apply it to curing debilitating diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, diabetes, strokes, spinal cord injuries, bone diseases, and other types of incurable diseases.

Another of stem cell research's purpose is to screen drugs for pharmaceutical purposes, instead of having to rely on animal testing. This seems as if there should be no controversy wanting to research something that could save millions of people, for millions of people have these unfortunate common diseases. Dianne N. Irving, M.A., PhD, dared to put this way of thinking into shocking words. Stem cell research refers to "[the] destroy[ing of] a few human beings in order to possibly benefit millions of patients" (Stem Cell Research: Some Pros and Cons). Irving believes that embryos are technically human beings. Her point in this quote is to trigger a question to people about this matter. The question being, "Are people willing to destroy the lives of human beings to possibly save millions?"Vasquez 2To fully understand what...