Alex Larm

7/27/2016
Bio 1010
Controversy paper
Embryonic Stem Cells
There is a lot of controversy around embryonic stem cells. Stem cells are
from the inner cell mass from a blastocysts or a fertilized egg. There are pros
and cons to embryonic stem cell research. The pros are tissue transplant,
treatment of disease, and no wasted embryos. The cons are killing fertilized
eggs, ethical and moral issues, and the treatments may not work.
First are the pros. The pros that come with stem cell research are highly
untested, because there is such a large controversy around it. Though, stem
cells do have the potential to be life changing for those who receive the
treatment. The first pro is tissue transplant. Stem cells have the potential to
create any living tissue. With that, they can create transplants for patients
that have little to no risk compared to conventional transplants, this can
change the lives of many who are on the waiting lists for organ donations.
The second pro is the treatment of diseases. Stem cells can be manipulated
to be used to treat certain diseases. For example, diabetes, traumatic spinal
cord injury, Duchennes muscular dystrophy, heart diseases, and vision and
hearing loss.1 With stem cells this could almost be completely eradicated.
1. 8 Important Pros and Cons of Embryonic Stem Cell research, July, 2015
http://nyln.org/8-important-pros-and-cons-of-embryonic-stem-cell-research

The last pro is no wasted embryos. A lot of embryos are killed because of
abortions, or procedures like it, but are just discarded instead of being used
for another purpose. Its immoral that hundreds of thousands of embryos
are discarded yearly instead of used to research cures for human suffering.
Gilbert 2008. With the permission of the parents, those embryos could be
used for stem cell research.
Next, Cons of stem cell research. One of the more obvious con that comes
with stem cell research is the killing of a fertilized egg. While working on the
stem cell the scientist first extracts the nucleus of the cell. When this is done
the cell is stopped from reproducing and becoming a human. The next step is
replacing that genetic coding with the needed tissue DNA. This is the largest
controversial aspect of stem cell research. Many prominent religions are
against this, because the scientist are taking a way the cells dignity.
The concept of dignity is often used as a religious justification in opposition
to stem cell research, with the Catholic Church claiming that the essence of
dignity is the embryos potential to become a human life and having the love
of God, even if its exact final form is not evident yet. (Pope Benedict, 2006
quoted in Gilbert 2008)
The next con is the ethical and moral issues. This stands as another difficult
aspect of stem cell research. The question is when does an embryo become
a baby? The stages where the stem cells are most receptive, havent began

1. 8 Important Pros and Cons of Embryonic Stem Cell research, July, 2015
http://nyln.org/8-important-pros-and-cons-of-embryonic-stem-cell-research

to look like a child, but it is still stopping this possible child from forming.
Essentially, this is killing the child.
Last, the treatments may not work. Stem cell research hasnt had much
progress and so most of the pros of stem cells are only hypothesis. There is
only one way to find out if stem cells can treat diseases or make transplants,
and thats by actually testing it. If it does work, there is a way to help many
people, if not, then there was no reason to be stopping the progression of
these children.
In conclusion, there are pros and cons to embryonic stem cell research. The
pros come with a lot of good, tissue transplant, treatment of disease, and no
wasted embryos. Though, the cons come with their own lure. Killing fertilized
eggs, ethical and moral issues, and the treatments may not work. In my
opinion, I dont think stem cell research is a good thing. To me, when the egg
is fertilized it is a human. This seems too closely related to abortions, which I
feel is also wrong. Of course, dont take my word. Doing research is the best
way to form an opinion.

1. 8 Important Pros and Cons of Embryonic Stem Cell research, July, 2015
http://nyln.org/8-important-pros-and-cons-of-embryonic-stem-cell-research

References
London, U. o. (2008). What are the arguments in favour of stem cell research?
Retrieved from The Status of the Human Embryo: http://embryoethics.smd.qmul.ac.uk/tutorials/stem-cell-research/arguments-in-favour-ofstem-cell-research/
Mandal, A. (2013, Jan 29). Stem Cell Controversy. Retrieved from Schoolwires.net:
http://whrhs.schoolwires.net/cms/lib07/NJ01001319/Centricity/Domain/65/Ste
m-Cell-Controversy.pdf
NYLN. (2015, July 15). 8 Important Pros and Cons of Embryonic Stem Cell Research.
Retrieved from NYLN.org: http://nyln.org/8-important-pros-and-cons-ofembryonic-stem-cell-research

1. 8 Important Pros and Cons of Embryonic Stem Cell research, July, 2015
http://nyln.org/8-important-pros-and-cons-of-embryonic-stem-cell-research