Controversy of Stem Cell Research

The Controversy of Stem Cell Research
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There exists intense and passionate scientific and ethical debate regarding stem cell research. Stem cells are cells in the human can become different cell types in the body. Embryonic stem cells found in the early-stage embryo are commonly sought for because they possess significant potential to differentiate into different cells in the body than adult cells. The totipotent cells are extracted in the earliest embryonic stage and the pluripotent ones in the later stages. Pluripotent embryonic stem cells have a self-renewing ability necessary in forming specialized cells, and they are currently the subject of intense research and controversy. The controversy emanates from the reason that the extraction results in damage of the embryos (Carvalho & Ramalho-Santos, 2013). Stem cell research is however inevitable if progress in the medical field is expected particularly for terminal conditions.
Opponents of stem research indicate that human life at all stages has a moral value, and it deserves the same respect as a born child. They consider destroying an embryo for any purpose medical research notwithstanding as immoral. Some opponents however agree that stem cells created from already created embryonic stem cell lines is acceptable. They indicate that the stem cells are already available, and any attempt to save the embryos from which they were created from would be inconsequential. They also indicate that even though the initial harvesting of embryos may have been morally wrong, they condone using the stem cell lines as long as long as other embryonic stem cell lines are not created (Hug, 2005).
Opponents also indicate that stem cell research devalues human life even when it is used for therapeutic purposes. They fear that making use of human embryos as a source of routine therapeutic treatment would decrease respect for human life and encourage a policy of sacrificing the vulnerable to the advantage of others. It may increase social toleration of loss of life and create social consent of controversial practices such as embryo farms, using fetuses for spare parts and commodification of human life. They cite that the benefits of stem cell research cannot justify an unethical act or transform it into one (Hug, 2005).
Opponents also indicate that it is not clear that stem cell-based therapy would be beneficial to many. They cite that it is unlikely that poor patients in the developed world and many in the developing world would access the technology even if it became routine therapy. Stem cell-based therapies would be more inaccessible due to the history of pharmaceutical conglomerates that withhold therapies in pursuit of profits. They also fear that stem cell-based therapies would also be time-consuming and expensive in treating disease (Hug, 2005).
Proponents of stem cell research argue that such cells are not equivalent to born babies as they are just cells growing in a laboratory. They indicate that pre-implantation stem cells do not have the same status as persons....