A Brief Overview of the Stem Cell Debate
The prospect of stem cell research bears with it tantalizing promise
with respect to that which the medical and scientific communities might be
able to accomplish both in terms of diminishing medical pain and in terms
of improving life expectancy. For those suffering such conditions as
Alzheimer's, Parkinson's or traumatic spinal cord injury, stem cell
research has offered positive prospects for treatment of these otherwise
incurable conditions.
This is why there is a strong endorsement for further research on the
subject from within the medical community. The understanding that stem
cells are capable of transforming into healthy functional cells of almost
any type means that where conditions have occurred because of the death or
deficiency of cells, this could be a promising way of performing
transplant. Today, there is a consensus on the acceptable use of adult stem
cells, though these have treatment limitations because most of these cells
have already differentiated to perform specific cell functions.
In contrast, embryonic stem cell research provokes a great deal more
controversy and have invoked legal challenge leading to the previous Bush
administration's ban on public funding there for. This perspective would
feed into the belief that the far more useful and potentially mutable
embryonic stem cell was harvested from a potentially viable fetus. Though
this is, of course, never the case, anti-stem cell research activists
affiliate this issue as a slippery slope with the abortion issue.
However, to my perspective, this is an incredibly inhumane
politicization of a prospect which could save many lives and reduce much
suffering. Obstruction to advancement in this field are short-sighted and
cruel. The condition of cystic fibrosis is a good example of a condition
where the effective use of embryonic stem cell research would be considered
a means to reducing much pain in its sufferers. Here, the dysfunction of
the secretory glands creates excessive mucous production and can result in
life-shortening respiratory and developmental issues. If embryonic stem
cells are differentiated and transplanted to produce healthy, functional
secretory glands in the sufferer, this serious and distressful condition
could be diminished in presence.
This denotes the potentially broad-based benefits to pushing forward
with research, in spite of the fringe population who would aspire to foist
its spiritual ideologies upon the legal and scientific institutions of this
country.