Unit 7 concepts and applications

Ethics of Stem Cell Research

Scientific research throughout history has resulted in medical advances which prolong human life. Stem cell research is one more aspect of these advances and when conducted for therapeutic purposes, should be allowed. Ethical and moral issues abound and must be considered and addressed.

Religion is often utilized as the focus for standards to apply moral rules regarding stem cell research. (Guenin, Louis). First, it seems that for the United States government to use religious standards regarding ethics is a distinct violation of separation of church and state. As Guenin states in his article, "ethics is a conversation about questions." (Guenin, Louis) Clearly, discussion is key and the primary issue is at what point does human life truly demand protection.

Focusing on the beliefs of one religion or another is a poor substitute for real discussion. For example, counter to the evangelical Christian viewpoint about embryos being human, is the Jewish view. According to Laurie Zoloth, member of the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics panel, Jewish tradition regarding stem cell research is that it is justified because "the embryo does not have the status of a human person. ("The Ethics of Human Cloning and Stem Cell Research").

Basing any discussion on religion appears to be a sloppy approach. Cloning for research is also a poor approach. Cloning could be easily manipulated and might become a commercial issue by paying people for their embryos. Lines must be drawn, but the dilemma is curiously at odds with cultural behavior in the United States. For example, the spontaneous loss of an embryo in a woman is not typically viewed as a death that requires a funeral. (Guidelines for Embryonic Stem Cell Research p. 48).

However, the hue and cry over the use of embryos from abortions or unused and unwanted ones from couples through in vitro fertilization, has been vocal. The critics often use arguments that incorporate absolutes. In his article, "Embryonic Research Driven by Greed, Not Science, Michael Fumento not only argues that it is all driven by greed but that embryonic stem cell research will "never" make wheelchairs go out of style. (Fumento, Michael ) Medical advances and scientific research should be sufficient evidence to prevent using the word "never."

Stem cell research should be federally funded and scientists should be allowed access to embryos. 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 consent to medical research following the abortion.