Ethical Issues
There are ethical issues that have come to light with the discovery of induced pluripotent stem cells. Some of these issues that have been raised include: privacy issues of donors, certain safety issues of patients, and the possibility that these cells could be used to develop gametes or misused for reproductive research. There is also the ethical concern regarding changes that may occur with collection of these cells and also the possibility of creating endless adult stem cell lines. “On the one hand, we have research of extraordinarily high potential, but on the other hand, we are manipulating human beings” (O’Mathunta, 2002, p. 197). In addition, donors may oppose their
…show more content…
304). The potential of finding a cure for debilitating diseases and improving patients’ health, stimulating the growth of this industry, and the possibility of tax revenue are all economic benefits, but a quick return of economic benefits is unlikely. Stem cell research could actually increase health care costs due to the expense of technological and research developments while researchers search for a treatment or product that can safely cure these diseases (Caulfield, …show more content…
The Texas Medical Board approved extremely controversial guidelines in 2012 regarding the use of stem cell injections for research, which stated the approval of an institutional review board must first occur prior to treatment of a patient (Park, 2012). There are several other groups who are stakeholders in Texas formed to promote and support stem cell research which include: Texans for Stem Cell Research, The Stem Cell Center at Texas Heart Institute in Houston, and Texans for Advancement of Medical Research. These are some of the organizations working towards the clinical advancement of stem cell therapy and research in Texas (Texascures, n.d.). Other organizations in Texas dedicated to stem cell research are the Texas A&M University Mesenchymal Stem Cell Distribution and the Institute for Regenerative Medicine at Scott & White Hospital. There have been several Texans for Stem Cell Research Symposiums held to highlight the most recent clinical trials being conducted with stem cells in Texas (Texans for Stem Cell Research, n.d.). The Stem Cell Center at The Texas Heart Institute in Houston was the first center in America to obtain approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration for a human trial involving autologous adult stem cell injections to treats individuals with advanced heart failure (Texas Heart Institute, n.d.). Celltex Therapeutics, a company based in Houston, Texas,
Search for literature or research that will help you answer this question. Summarize and cite it here. Explain Lo, Bernard, and Lindsay Parham. " Ethical Issues in Stem Cell Research."
The essay “Best Hope Lies in Privately Funded Stem Cell Research”, states the importance of stem cell research and the effects it can have on curing disease more effectively than any other method. Written by Sigrid Fry-Revere, PhD, director of bioethics studies at the Cato Institute; the author of the paper emphasizes the importance of funding programs for stem cell research on highlights the government holding out on funding due to ethical reasons. Revere claims that the government is threatening the private investing of stem cell research organizations and are trying to put a stop to production of research. This essay is targeted for people who are academic/bioethics orientated and the future of the world disease control and abolishment.
They are afraid with these advancements in medical care, the value of human life will decrease. As scientists go forward with research, they are endangering the lives of potential children. These see it as a blatant disregard to life because people are deciding who gets to live and who gets to die. Additionally, they see this course of treatment as unnecessary because there are other treatments available for patients already, as well, as new treatments being discovered everyday that do not require a choice like this to be made. They do believe that progress does need to be made to help the sick, however they believe that the progress needs to be made in a different direction than stem cell
Over the years, there have been many controversial issues surrounding medical research, but one of the most arguable topics of all time is the use of embryonic stem cells. Some individuals believe that extracting stem cells from unborn babies will be useful to create new medications or, in most cases, help regenerate damaged cells. Although, many people disagree with the process scientists use to obtain these stem cells. By continuing embryonic stem cell research, scientists are denying an unborn child the chance to live, they are not letting nature take its intended course, and they are not adhering to the religious or moral beliefs of many people.
Over 100 million people, in America, suffer from diseases that eventually may be treated more effectively or even cured with embryonic stem cell therapy. Susan Frank says, “The critics of life-saving stem cell research technologies use false claims, an anti-technology bias and an alarmist view of sensibly and ethically practiced medical research. Instead, progressives and conservatives should join together and affirm that embryonic stem cell research holds great promise for those suffering from diseases; thank responsible and ethical scientists for their tireless efforts; and hope that, someday soon, cures will be discovered. ”(Frank) I don’t think people who are against this research haven’t thought about all the lives that could be changed and saved.
Embryonic stem cell research was established in the early 80’s and has since sparked into a highly controversial issue involving religious debates over the use of human embryos. Embryonic stem cells are considered to be unspecialized cells, which can be manipulated into specialized cells such as a skin cell or a heart cell. The specialized cells could potentially cure conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, cystic fibrosis, and spinal cord injuries. Despite the large amount of ethical complications that come along with the utilization of stem cells, I advocate that stem cell research should be expanded and developed more widely in the medical field.
In recent years, several competing viewpoints have emerged about embryonic stem cell research. All of this debate raises an important question, Should embryonic stem cell research be conducted for treatment of present and future diseases? People who believe that an embryo should not be destroyed tend to say that embryonic stem cell research should not be conducted. On the other hand, people who believe that embryonic stem cell research creates means of curing diseases reply that the research should be conducted. Embryonic stem cell research “uses special cells found in three-to-five day old human embryos to seek cures for a host of chronic disease” (PRC).
From the first isolation of embryonic stem cells in 1998, to manipulation and differentiation of mice tissue, to produce different cell types in 1999 and 2000 (Marnaghan 2015), there has been huge controversy over the ethical bases behind research of Embryonic Stem Cells (ESC’s) and their ethical uses. Other problems, which have been arising in this field of research, are the issues of patenting (Bergman & D.Graff 2007). For Pharmaceutical companies and scientists, to invest time and money into researching and discovering treatments for diseases, be it neurodegenerative or not, they need more of an incentive. Unfortunately, up until recently stem cells and their experimental method could not be patented due to the cells originating from an
The ethical dilemma posed by stem cell research Some cells are capable of dividing virtually without limits to replenish other cells, however the are types of cells named Stem cells. These cells has the potential to either remain as a stem cell or become another type of cell with specialized functions, such as a muscle cell, a red blood cell or a brain cell. Stem cell research posed a moral problems since it bring to our attention two fundamental moral principles that we value. The first principle is the duty to alleviate sickness and sufferings and the second is to respect the value of human life. The destruction of embryonic stem cells should be permitted because of it's potential benefits since it is used to make medicines or vaccinations
Stem cells have the potential to cure specific diseases such as Parkinson 's, Alzheimer 's, Diabetes, and Cancer. A few years ago, you could only get stem cell transplants from specific doctors, But as of 2015 there are 170 clinics that can do the procedure. The way that they implant the stem cells into the patient 's body is by putting the cells straight into the bloodstream or by inserting the cells into the patient 's bone marrow. They extract all of the stem cells that they need and then they take out the patient 's dead stem cells and put in the donor 's healthy stem cells.
One of the most important arguments to this debate is presented through the scientific lens. Although embryonic stem cells pose enormous potential to treat and cure diseases and conditions, adult stem cells are more effective in treating these conditions. Adult stem cells pose a much lesser risk of forming tumors or not functioning as originally intended (Smith). Adult stem cells are also currently used today, as bone marrow transplants are a form of stem cell treatment (Stem Cells in Use).
Regenerative medicine has a cure to failing or damage tissues. Stem cell increase years to human life, cure disorder and it also includes make one seems juvenile. As a result this gives leisure to the opening of stem cell clinics to the public in the Philippines. Cellular Therapeutics Center of Makati
Although the field of stem cell research has the potential to treat many diseases, it is relatively new and most treatments are still in the experimental phase. The first successful stem cell treatment was performed in 1968 when a patient received a bone marrow transplant (Moore, 2014). Bone marrow contains somatic stem cells that can produce all cell types found in blood cells. Bone marrow transplants have become routine, treating a variety of disorders such as blood cancers and immune disorders. The problem facing bone marrow transplants is the risk of rejection by the new host body.
The only way to get these embryonic stem cells is to consequently take away the life of the unborn fetus. A lot of people are against the usage of stem cells for the positives it leads to in a case for someone with a disease like Parkinson’s. The possible ways that the public can respond to this problem is to protest against it by boycotting businesses that support and provide stem cells to research, like Planned Parenthood; or they could go to the government and try to get a law made against the usage of stem cell research by making petitions or picketing.
Stem cell therapies have the potential to be able to regenerate all of the tissues in the human body and along with gene therapy could be the most powerful tools in medicine with the potential to treat a