There are some embryos who are outside of this environment, and will not grow to be people, and are therefore suitable to use in stem cell research.
There is a degree of moral ambiguity related to the debate of stem cell research -- based on the conception of when life actually begins. The acknowledgement of this aspect of the debate is acknowledged on both sides, and is a point of commonality between them. Scientists and researchers can only have opinions about this topic -- and cannot state with any degree of certainty what the actual answer for the inception of human life truly is. Yet what truly decides the debate is the location of embryos. Since there are number of embryos existent outside a womb, "that remain after infertility treatment" (Dresser 2) there are no moral boundaries for using these embryos for stem cell research.
In conclusion, the use of embryos removed from a womb for infertility treatment is the perfect compromise to the debate regarding stem cell usage. Those embryos are not fated to grow up as people, and can actually help people by providing valuable stem cell research.
References
Dresser, Rebecca. "Stem Cell Research: The Bigger Picture." Perspectives in Biology and Medicine. 48. 2 (2005): 181-194. Print. This resource provides a fairly comprehensive overview of both sides of the stem cell debate. It focuses on research based on an intermediate status of morality for embryos.
"Assessing the Legitimacy of Stem Cell Research: An Instrumental Valuation Principle Approach." Journal of Economic Issues. 43.4 (2009): 831-842. This source propounds that the instrumental valuation principle can determine the potential use and effect of stem cell research. It cautions against the involvement of corporate sources attempting to exploit this phenomenon.
Landry, D.W., Zucker, H.A. "Embryonic Death and the Creation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells." The Journal of Clinical Investigation. 114.9 (2004): 1184-1186. This source provides an overview of the debate regarding morality of stem cell research. It posits that killing embryos should be reconsidered and viewed as organ donation.
Napier, S. "A Regulatory Argument Against Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research." Journal of Medicine and Philosophy. 34 (2009): 496-508. This source argues against the usage of stem cell research. However, it does not do so on moral grounds, but rather based on the fact that there are regulatory issues that affect women and their embryos.
Saxena, a.K.; Singh, D., Gupta, J. "Role of Stem Cell Research in Therapeutic Purpose -- a Hope for New Horizons in Medical Biotechnology." Journal of Experimental Therapeutics and Oncology. 2 (2009): 223-233. Print. This source enumerates and explains a number of different approaches and types of stem cell research. Its aim is towards using those that do not directly harm embryos.
