2008 Woodie Awards
Stem cell research scientific, not moral
Jason Hoskin
Issue date: 4/17/08 Section: Opinions
Modern medicine has progressed in leaps and bounds. The germ theory of medicine has led to the discovery of antibiotics and contributed to widespread vaccination against an increasing number of infectious diseases. This has contributed to a near tripling of the lifespan of human beings in the last 150 years.
Stem cell research promises to be the next big leap in medicine. Stem cells potential can be manipulated to grow and replace any tissue or organ that has sustained damage or disease. This research promises to treat or cure a number of diseases including heart disease, diabetes, spinal cord injury and certain neuro-degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and multiple sclerosis. Stem cell research may make the long waits for organ transplants a thing of the past.
Stem cells are relatively undifferentiated cells that have not yet acquired any structure specific to a particular tissue. Unlike fully differentiated cells, they can be manipulated relatively easily - by culturing with appropriate growth factors and other chemicals - to grow into specialized organ or tissue.
Stem cells can be divided into two categories. Embryonic stem cells (ES cells), as the name suggests, must be obtained from a human embryo following an abortion, or unused embryos from a process of in vitro fertilization.
This fact troubles those who believe that an embryo is a human being that possesses rights. The term "adult stem cell" refers to any stem cell other than embryonic cells. The term is a misnomer, since they are present in both adults and children.
Adult stem cells are found in various parts of the body. Unlike ES cells, an embryo is not required for their harvest and thus does not pose a problem for those against abortion.
Anti-abortion commentator Ann Coulter stated in her book "Godless," "Although there has been research on both adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells since the '50s, only adult stem-cell research has produced any cures - and lots of 'em - by contrast, the embryonic stem-cell researchers have produced nothing."
Stem cell research promises to be the next big leap in medicine. Stem cells potential can be manipulated to grow and replace any tissue or organ that has sustained damage or disease. This research promises to treat or cure a number of diseases including heart disease, diabetes, spinal cord injury and certain neuro-degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and multiple sclerosis. Stem cell research may make the long waits for organ transplants a thing of the past.
Stem cells are relatively undifferentiated cells that have not yet acquired any structure specific to a particular tissue. Unlike fully differentiated cells, they can be manipulated relatively easily - by culturing with appropriate growth factors and other chemicals - to grow into specialized organ or tissue.
Stem cells can be divided into two categories. Embryonic stem cells (ES cells), as the name suggests, must be obtained from a human embryo following an abortion, or unused embryos from a process of in vitro fertilization.
This fact troubles those who believe that an embryo is a human being that possesses rights. The term "adult stem cell" refers to any stem cell other than embryonic cells. The term is a misnomer, since they are present in both adults and children.
Adult stem cells are found in various parts of the body. Unlike ES cells, an embryo is not required for their harvest and thus does not pose a problem for those against abortion.
Anti-abortion commentator Ann Coulter stated in her book "Godless," "Although there has been research on both adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells since the '50s, only adult stem-cell research has produced any cures - and lots of 'em - by contrast, the embryonic stem-cell researchers have produced nothing."
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Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 9
John Naughton
posted 4/17/08 @ 3:54 PM CST
It is certainly wonderful and remarkable news that cells that look and behave like embryonic stem cells can be produced from adult stem cells, making the unethical, expensive and inefficient process of cloning and killing human beings in embryonic stem-cell research unnecessary Making embryonic stem-cell research obsolete also eliminates the need to risk women's health for their ova. (Continued…)
Johnny
posted 4/17/08 @ 7:59 PM CST
This is an unusual argument. Normally, the argument is "your morals don't apply to me nor do they address the scientific merits of ESC research." But your argument is "never mind the science, what are your moral arguments?" The fact is, the moral arguments are well known, and don't cease to exists simply because a scientific argument is added to them. (Continued…)
Roderick Fitts
posted 4/18/08 @ 1:46 AM CST
Reply to John Naughton:
Contrary to your claim, I do not regard it as a biological fact that human life begins at conception. Human beings, e.g. the two of us, do not live within another human being and take nutrients from her in order to sustain ourselves, which is what embryos do before becoming infants. (Continued…)
Roderick Fitts
posted 4/22/08 @ 3:41 PM CST
I'm glad we've found some common ground.
I'm a student of Objectivism, the philosophy of Ayn Rand.
Here's some introductory information, if you don't know anything about it:
http://www. (Continued…)
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