Embryonic Stem Cell Research Ethics

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Embryonic stem cell research, which has the ability and opportunity to be a platform for numerous medical breakthroughs in the never ending puzzle of the human body, involves the intentional altering of a human embryo in it’s developmental stages, thus effectively changing the genome of the future male or female, for various reasons. When viewed through the eyes of the practical audience, embryonic stem cell research is a truly revolutionary process that should not only be allowed to be applied, but also perhaps required to an undetermined extent. Where the procedure begins to become widely debated is whether or not Embryonic stem cell research is, albeit beneficial, a morally conscious decision. Is the intentional altering of an embryo and …show more content…
Immediately the retort by those who wish to combat the previous argument usually revolves around the same topic, “Isn’t it even more amoral to deny what could possibly be a lifesaving procedure?”. The true uniqueness in the argument of Embryonic stem cell research truly lies in the interpretation of morality by those making each respective argument. Though embryonic stem cell research is highly debated within the scientific and religious communities, the benefits outweigh the moral disputes through their enormous therapeutic practice. In order to comprehend the moral and social deliberations of the embryonic stem cell controversy, one needs to understand the characteristics and the significant benefits of stem cells. There are two different types of stem cells that have a great importance in scientific research. One type being adult stem cells, which do not destroy an embryo by incorporating it within research and treatments. But contrary to embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells have many limitations. Adult stem cells are undifferentiated cells found throughout the body, such as the brain and in bone marrow, that divide to replenish dying cells and reproduce damaged tissues …show more content…
Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent, meaning they are able to grow into all derivatives. Embryonic stem cells are extremely useful for cell based therapies because they contain the ability to conform into 220 different cell types that are discovered in an adult, and they also are able to reproduce in enormous numbers. Therefore, this makes embryonic stem cells extremely flexible and adaptable. This allows embryonic stem cell research to obtain profound results in the research to cure cancers, diabetes, spinal cord injuries, and other diseases caused by dysfunctional cell replication. Also, research on embryonic stem cells can improve drug safety by testing a drug on a stem cell before a pontential patient uses it (CITE). They result from extracting embryonic stem cells is the main reason for the commotion around the argument. The embryonic stem cells are taken out from the inner cell mass in course of the early blastocyst phase of the embryonic development. When the egg is fertilized, it begins to divide. “The blastocyst is a hallow ball of about 150 cells. Th inner cell mass are the cells located in the inner part of the ball, and once extracted, the embryo is no longer viable or living” (CITE). Therefore, the problem comes about with the ruination of the embryonic