Arguments Against Stem Cell Research
Stem cell research is a very, very good tool for the potential findings of cures for diseases and disorders. If they are given the proper attention and funding then these cures can be found. The research has already shown huge advancements over the years and will only continue to grow. Society needs to know the right information in order to fully understand the topic and not be biased. A lot of pro-lifers do not like the topic of stem cell research because they feel like it is murder but a lot of the time they don’t know about the alternatives.
There are three different types of stem cell research: adult stem cells, cord blood stem cells, and embryonic stem cells. Adult stem cells are normally taken from bone marrow or other rich stem cell areas such as the brain, spinal cord, or bones but it can damage the human’s place of extraction. Cord blood stem cells are stem cells that have been taken from a newborn’s umbilical cord upon birth and then stored in a bank for future use by the newborn. They can also be used by the mother, father, or other family members, but the more distant the relationship, the more likely the body will reject the cells. The third type is embryonic stem cells and this is probably the most controversial. Embryonic stem cells are taken directly from an embryo and the embryo will die because the majority of the embryo’s body is stem cells.
Adult stem cells is not really the most common use of stem cell use since it can harm the human upon extraction and because in order to extract the stem cells, you have to surgically remove the stem cells which is normally not something most people want to do. A good alternative to adult stem cell extraction is the use of cord blood stem cells. Unfortunately, the use of this is limited. First off, you have to have these stem cells stored in a cord blood bank, which can be costly. Secondly, these stem cells can only be used for certain disorders or diseases, certain cancers, blood disorders, immune disorders, or metabolic disorders. One advantage to this is that if your family has a history of a disorder that is can cure, than keeping these cord blood stem cells in a cord blood bank is a great idea because it can potentially cure the disease or disorder. Another type of stem cell research is embryonic stem cells and these are stem cells that are taken from an embryo before it has grown into a fetus. Unfortunately once these stem cells are taken out the embryo will die. This is huge problem for many pro-lifers. They feel like the fact that the embryo dies, that it is murder. It isn’t really murder; it just isn’t giving the embryo a chance to have life. One thing they don’t realize is the embryo is being fertilized and grown in an artificial environment so technically the embryo had no chance at life from the start.