Embryonic Stem Cell Research Ethical

Stem cell research, especially embryonic stem cell research, is a hot topic in the medical world. Each side has very good points as to why stem cell research is ethical and why it is not. Embryonic stem cell research is ethical way to treat common disorders and diseases in society today.
There are two main types of stem cells: adult and embryonic. Adult stem cells can be found in the mature tissues of children and adults. They are undifferentiated cells that can be found near differentiated cells in organs or tissues such as the blood, brain, liver, and bone marrow. Some types of adult stem cells can also be found in umbilical cords and the placenta, though they are not considered embryonic stem cells. Adult stem cells are often considered …show more content…
The embryos they are taken from are considered to not have life. According to supporters, there is a lack of “physical and psychological properties human beings have because they have not yet been implanted in the uterus.” (Garage para.9) The stem cells come from unused fertilized eggs. These eggs are the ones that are not chosen in vitro fertilization. Supporters argue that, “these eggs will be discarded anyway and it would be better that they be used for the common good and benefit of the majority.” (Garage para.12) The embryos used are not the same as embryos that develop in the human body. These embryos are “incapable of ever developing beyond the blastocyst stage unless they are implanted into the uterus.” (Black pg. 95) Another pro of stem cells is that they can be help a number of people. Embryonic stem cells can be useful in treating disorders like Parkinson 's, spinal cord injuries and cardiovascular diseases. There are also several cons to embryonic stem cells research. Using embryos to collect stem cells takes away the chance of an embryo becoming a human. Supporters against embryonic stem cell research say that, “embryos are in a stage that they have the possibility to develop into human beings.” (Garage para.19) Despite there being a pro saying the embryos do not have life, there is no evidence that they have lives or not. One example used to demonstrate this point is a person in a coma. The …show more content…
There are three main viewpoints on this topic. The first viewpoint is that embryos have full moral status. Supporters of the viewpoint argue that, “Development from a fertilized egg into to baby is a continuous process and any attempt to pinpoint when personhood begins is arbitrary.” (EuroStemCell para. 5) The opposite side argues that the embryo has not yet attached the wall of the uterus and lacks all the properties we associate with humans. They also argue that it does not need to be protected and can be used to help patients. A second is that the status of the embryo increases as it develops. Argument for this side say that the embryo’s status increases as it develops from implantation to birth. Supporters against it argue that trying to pinpoint the start of personhood, it is unpredictable and unsupported. The example used is the nervous system. If scientist use the development of a nervous system to start personhood, would that make a stroke victim who lost nerve cells less human? A third view is that the embryo has no moral status. Supporters argue that the eggs are no different than other parts of the body because they have not developed enough to survive independently. People against this say that taking the stem cells prevents the embryo from developing normally. Differing views argue as to whether an embryo can be classified as a human at at one