The use of human embryonic stem cells has been hailed as the next major step in the battle against serious degenerative disorders such as diabetes and heart disease, and for some, debilitating for lethal neurological diseases, such as Parkinson’s. (Braude, Minger & Warwick). However this is a hotly debated issue.
Ethical Dilemma
The main controversy surrounding stem cell research isn’t about “if” it should be done or not, but rather what source of stem cells are okay to use and what methods are okay for obtaining them. The debate is truly centered around the fact that either one supports embryonic stem cell research and accepts resulting embryo destruction, or one opposes embryonic stem cell research and accepts that the potential benefits …show more content…
Stem cell research offers great promise for understanding basic mechanisms of human development, as well as the hope for new treatments for diseases such as diabetes, spinal cord injury, Parkinson’s disease, and myocardial infarction (Lo & Parham). It is the future for curing our ill patients. I think supporting research as a whole, is fundamental and at the heart of why we are in the profession of nursing. We are nurses because we want to see and help our patients recover from whatever their issue is. We are nurturers, what better way to do this than with cures and advancements. Nurses are part of health care in all the stages of life from preconception to death. Scientific advances in embryonic stem cell research have introduced new techniques of screening and diagnosis. These could affect us at any age and therefore nurses will be involved as care takers and patient advocates. Nurses will have to understand the ethical dilemmas and be prepared to help those involved with difficult decisions. Nurses represent all parties and act as advocates for every patient group …show more content…
They have the ability to form all adult cell types. Harnessing this may very well provide a source of cells to replace those that are lost or damaged as a result of disease (Cowan, et al). Embryonic stems cells are taken from the embryos at the blastocyst stage and the procedure for getting them is relatively efficient. Adult stem cells on the other hand are hard, if not impossible to harvest. Also embryonic stem cells have a much greater proliferation capacity than do adult stem cells (Devolder). This means they can multiply rapidly. Adult stem cells multiplication is slow and sometimes impossible to initiate. Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent: meaning they can become any type of cell in the body (Devolder). Adult stem cells, however, are much less versatile. They can only multiply into the cells of the area from which they were taken. Another reason I believe that embryonic stem cells are the best option is that there are many instances of positive outcomes related to this important research. Dr. Steven Schwartz, a retina specialist at the University of California, Los Angeles, reports outcomes of the use of human embryonic stem-cell (hESC)-derived from retinal pigment epithelial cells, for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration and Stargardt's macular dystrophy, which is the leading causes of adult and juvenile blindness. He reported that
Ethical Dilemma
The main controversy surrounding stem cell research isn’t about “if” it should be done or not, but rather what source of stem cells are okay to use and what methods are okay for obtaining them. The debate is truly centered around the fact that either one supports embryonic stem cell research and accepts resulting embryo destruction, or one opposes embryonic stem cell research and accepts that the potential benefits …show more content…
Stem cell research offers great promise for understanding basic mechanisms of human development, as well as the hope for new treatments for diseases such as diabetes, spinal cord injury, Parkinson’s disease, and myocardial infarction (Lo & Parham). It is the future for curing our ill patients. I think supporting research as a whole, is fundamental and at the heart of why we are in the profession of nursing. We are nurses because we want to see and help our patients recover from whatever their issue is. We are nurturers, what better way to do this than with cures and advancements. Nurses are part of health care in all the stages of life from preconception to death. Scientific advances in embryonic stem cell research have introduced new techniques of screening and diagnosis. These could affect us at any age and therefore nurses will be involved as care takers and patient advocates. Nurses will have to understand the ethical dilemmas and be prepared to help those involved with difficult decisions. Nurses represent all parties and act as advocates for every patient group …show more content…
They have the ability to form all adult cell types. Harnessing this may very well provide a source of cells to replace those that are lost or damaged as a result of disease (Cowan, et al). Embryonic stems cells are taken from the embryos at the blastocyst stage and the procedure for getting them is relatively efficient. Adult stem cells on the other hand are hard, if not impossible to harvest. Also embryonic stem cells have a much greater proliferation capacity than do adult stem cells (Devolder). This means they can multiply rapidly. Adult stem cells multiplication is slow and sometimes impossible to initiate. Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent: meaning they can become any type of cell in the body (Devolder). Adult stem cells, however, are much less versatile. They can only multiply into the cells of the area from which they were taken. Another reason I believe that embryonic stem cells are the best option is that there are many instances of positive outcomes related to this important research. Dr. Steven Schwartz, a retina specialist at the University of California, Los Angeles, reports outcomes of the use of human embryonic stem-cell (hESC)-derived from retinal pigment epithelial cells, for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration and Stargardt's macular dystrophy, which is the leading causes of adult and juvenile blindness. He reported that