The ban needs to be used to prevent the sale of embryos, use of cloning and the production of embryos for the sole purpose of research. Cures for debilitating diseases will hopefully result and healing is supposed to be the driving factor in medicine. It is a poor argument to talk of murder, destruction and disrespect of human life when the United States continues to utilize capital punishment, the legal murder of a human being for purposes of criminal punishment. This type of dichotomy results in irrational or illogical positions in contrast to developing a truer position. In addition, legal issues are at stake and the fact that abortion is legal in the United States should be a critical part of the discussion. Since personal choice is the key to legal abortions, it seems that the same person can and should be allowed to
The first is murder of a real, live human being for purposes of retribution while the second is the use of questionably "human" cells for medical research. Moreover, the same individuals will oppose abortion and even contraception based on religious principles but still support the death penalty. Until people can take a logical and rational position on these issues, the debate will drag on. In the meantime, the hopes of critically ill patients who are not only human, but also suffering, will be put on hold.
References
Fumento, M. (n.d.). Michael Fumento: Embryonic Research Driven by Greed, not Science. Michael Fumento.com. Retrieved November 11, 2010, from http://www.fumento.com/biotech/greatstemcell.html
Guenin, L. (n.d.). ISSCR:: Public: Perspective: Ethics of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research . International Society for Stem Cell Research. Retrieved November 11, 2010, from http://www.isscr.org/public/ethics.htm
Guidelines for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research. (n.d.). The National Academies Press. Retrieved November 11, 2010, from http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=11278&page=45
Santa Clara University Web Site. (2001, October 21). The Ethics of Human Cloning and Stem Cell Research. Retrieved November 11, 2010, from http://www.scu.edu/ethics/publications/cloning.htm
