There have been many promises of using embryonic stem cells to curing blindness, type 1 diabetes, preventing heart disease, aging, and human baldness and more. Additionally, cloning has been more achievable with these cells. Many people have been waiting for these promises to be made in an ethical way for a long time but so far scientists haven’t even come close.
The use of embryonic cells has been very controversial over a period of time and still is today. The use of embryonic stem cells should not be allowed because of ethical issues and unpredictable abuse in the future. There are many ways to define embryonic stem cells and it even goes as far as debating if embryonic cell are considered human or not. The Funk and Wagnall’s New World Encyclopedia defines embryonic stem cells as, “Embryonic stem cells are derived from the so-called inner cell mass found in embryos a few days old and are cultured in the laboratory.”
This means four to five days after fertilization the cells are taken in for research. The controversy is whether embryonic cells are considered a human or not. Many people believe since it isn’t born yet, and only a small cell, it should not be considered as a human and should be allowed for research. Meanwhile, others believe since the egg was fertilized becoming an embryo and has the potential to turn into a person in the future, it should be considered as a human and not be used for research; causing this to be unethical. Plus, the research may cause unpredictable abuses of it in the future using these cells.
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It all started in 1998 when embryonic stem cells were discovered. In 1998 President Bill Clinton had allowed and started the research for embryonic stem cells to happen. In 2000 President George Bush was running and in his campaign, he announced he was against stem cell research because of the destruction of embryonic stem cell. In the year of 2000 according to CNN in the article “Stem Cells Fast Fact”, “The National Institutes of Health (NIH) issues guidelines for the use of embryonic stem cells in research, specifying that scientists receiving federal funds can use only extra embryos that would otherwise be discarded.
President Clinton approves federal funding for stem cell research but Congress does not fund it.” Meaning Congress stop funding for embryonic stem cell but allowed it to continue without taking any more cells. Then in 2001 President Bush allowed funding for the existing stem cells but again not allowing to take more. The funding of the cells have constantly been changing because of the different people in government and their opinion on these and more. Additionally there have been a very few stem cells transplant but too small to prove if the treatment worked or not.
The first reason why embryonic stem cell should not be allowed is because of ethical reason. One of the biggest ethical concern is the destruction of the embryonic cell which could have been a potential human being. According to article “Ethical Issues In Stem Cells Research” the author states “human embryonic stem cell (hESC) research is ethically and politically controversial because it involves the destruction of human embryos. In the United States, the question of when human life begins has been highly controversial and closely linked to debates over abortion.”
Additionally even in the Funk and Wagnall new world encyclopedia (above in this paper) the embryonic stem cell definition mention taking the cell after a few days of fertilization. Many people believe this is extremely unethical because the embryo which could have been a human had its right taken away. Furthermore, the use of embryonic stem cell should not be allowed because of unpredictable abuse in the future. For instance, embryonic stems cell could possibly reverse aging or preventing dying which can be very detrimental.
According to the article “Going to the roots of the stem cell debate” the author states “ In the most extreme vision of this future, even aging and death could finally be defeated as failing organs would be replaced by new ones freshly grown from stem cells.” Finding a cure to death can lead to extreme ethical issue and can cause more problems than solutions. Additionally, researchers have found a possibility of cloning using embryonic stem cells. From the article “page 3 sentor” This shows how the embryo can be used for cling. (bring up cnn with south korea). These are some of the known ways of how embryonic stem cells can be abusive, they could be many more dangerous unknown ways.
On the other hand, the research of embryonic stem cell has promise many cures. For example, researches have said that embryonic stem cells could cure Parkison diseases cancer and more. As it states “Research with embryonic stem cells may lead to new, more effective treatments for serious human ailments and alleviate the suffering of thousands of people. Diseases such as juvenile diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, heart failure, and spinal cord injuries are examples”(Benefits of Stem Cell Research). Embryonic stem cells have brought many hopes into society and possibility have known cures to the sickness that weren’t able to be cured. Although, these promises arent be upheld as they were said to be. Embryonic stem cell transplant is risky and hasn’t cured any of the diseases that were promised.
The FDA has many concerns and thinks that stem cells treatment is very dangerous and hazardous. Also, they have reported treatments were the patient is worse off than they were before the treatment. For example, someone ejects stem cells into there eyes for better eyesight but than become blind because of that (FDA). The fact of going through the unethical transplant that ended up doing worse just created more problems than solutions. The cures that were promised and given hopes to the ones in need embryonic stem cell research have really let down many people and is very unpredictable why they shouldn’t be allowed.
In conclusion, embryonic stem cell research should be banned because of a moral incorrect decision, not knowing how much more problems this research can cause, and the failing success rate. Vice President, Mike Pence quotes “Sadly, embryonic stem cell research is completely legal in this country and has been going on at universities and research facilities for years.”Hopefully, the embryonic stem cell research is not permitted any more it has created to many problems than solution.
