Morality of Stem Cell Research

: Embryonic Stem Cell Research

Embryonic stem cells are described as undifferentiated cells that have the potential to change into any living cell type in the human body. (Crouse, 2004) This ability allows massive progress in the field of medical technology in terms of the curing of diseases that were, in the past considered incurable. There are, however moral and ethical implications surrounding research on embryonic stem cells that cause a lot of debate in the medical and scientific community.

The medical benefits of treatment with stem cells are astounding. The fact that the cells are undifferentiated means that they can be used to create replacement cells which can be injected into patients suffering from diseases which cause irreversible cell damage. (Nortje, 2007) Previously untreatable conditions can now be cured through the use of embryonic stem cells.

The question often arises: Does the life of the human being saved mean more than the potential life of the embryo? Many people believe that moral value of life develops gradually, and that it is just to preform research on embryo until the start of individual human development. After this, research would be unethical because the embryo is then regarded as a developing human. (McLaren, 2001)

“Haematopoietic adult stem cells, for example, can be removed from bone marrow or blood and cultured in a laboratory; however, the cells eventually cease dividing and no longer self-renew under these conditions. In contrast, human embryonic stem cells have been grown continuously in laboratory conditions for over two years without losing their ability to self-renew or to form all cells and tissues of the body.” (Nortje, 2007) It can therefore be said that the research done with embryonic stem cells has the potential to be much more effective that that done with adult stem cells. There are also other sources, such as people undergoing IVF treatment, who can decide if they wish to have their spare embryos destroyed or...