I decided to start my search on EBSCOhost and found two very
interesting articles regarding stem cell research. The first article, written by John Ritz,
discusses new developments in stem cell research and some of the ethical
concerns that go along with it. He talks about just how this new regenerative
medicine, as they’re now calling it, is improving and in some cases curing,
many diseases. Many of the diseases
mentioned are related to sports injuries, such as spinal cord injuries,
ligament and tendon tears, and blood and heart disorders. These all may be
potentially improved with stem cells. Ritz also discusses the ethics of
embryonic stem cells and where controversy lies in how they are obtained,
either from fertilized eggs or aborted fetuses. He also emphasizes that
additional research is being done to explore different ways of acquiring embryonic
stem cells.
The second journal I found was written by Carl Power and
John Rasko, and addresses more of the medical and scientific issues related to
stem cell research. They discuss how sometimes fact and fiction are hard to separate
as well as the difference of realistic expectations and “wishful” thinking
regarding this topic. Power and Rasko also compare the advantages and
disadvantages of adult and embryonic stem cells for clinical use and how
advancements are being made every day. Throughout the article, they emphasize that embryonic stem cells remain the biggest interest to researchers
because of their ability to turn into many different specific cell types.
Although both articles discuss the continued research that
is being done on stem cells, with both “adult” and embryonic, I think in order
for stem cell research to be accepted in the clinical setting, many will need
to see it in action, so to speak.
http://cellecell.onsugar.com/search/embryonic
http://cellecell.onsugar.com/search/embryonic
Even though it is proving to be the new direction of
medicine in order to cure diseases and improve injuries, the acceptance will
vary from person to person. I think many medical professionals are excited and
willing to test stem cells in the clinical setting, however another question
arises being if it truly will work? What treatments are achievable using embryonic stem cells and what may be "far-fetched"? Yes it has been working in the
laboratory setting with mice, but until it’s allowed to be used on humans (specifically
embryonic stem cells), these are hard questions to answer. I think individual morals
is the biggest factor in determining if this new practice of medicine will be
accepted in our society.
Where exactly does a human life begin? What are potential
guidelines regarding embryonic stem cell use, if allowed clinically? Again
these are not simple questions to answer. This differing of opinion in where
the human life begins could prove to be a setback in embryonic stem cells being
accepted for use clinically. Yet on the contrary, the potential of embryonic
stem cells curing many debilitating diseases and alleviating injuries may ultimately
change moral opinions on this issue. There is also the fact that embryonic stem
cells are being found elsewhere, not just in the cell mass of donated fertilized
eggs in a lab. The question of “will it ever be socially accepted, if approved?”
may be a question that effectively cannot be answered, given individual morals. This makes it hard to predict just how this new practice of medicine will progress
within our society, if at all.
Works Cited
Ritz, John M. "Magic From Human Regenerative Technologies -- Stem Cells." Technology & Engineering Teacher 71.8 (2012): 4-9. Academic Search Premier. Web. 11 July 2012.
These are both very credible, academic sources so be sure to mention the publication/journal titles when you introduce each article.
ReplyDeleteGiven the moral aspect of your issue, I wonder if there are some historical comparisons to make. In the past, did some medical advancements (which are now common) initially cause fear or challenge people's sense of morality? Maybe transplants? I don't really know, but I feel like the medical community must have gone through similar ethical dilemmas in the past.
"Yet on the contrary, the potential of embryonic stem cells curing many debilitating diseases and alleviating injuries may ultimately change moral opinions on this issue"
ReplyDeleteMorality is a black and white issue, either it is moral or it isn't. The issue is whether we are willing to cross that line into immorality in order to extend or change lives. I think the question is will it ever become socially acceptable to play God, in the area of embryonic stem cell research. I think in other areas, we already do, in common everyday surgery. We change and extend lives everyday. Of course, as with everything, I think it isn't going to matter. There will always be those willing to break the law and rules of ethics in order to achieve a higher level technical or medical advancement behind closed doors. Unfortunately, the ones who play by the rules are going to lose out on the knowledge gained by going ahead with those types of experiments, and treatments or transplants will be available on the black market only.