Stem Cells Should Not Be Used Therapeutically Essay -- Science Health

Stem Cells Should Not Be Used Therapeutically A stem cell is a cell in the body that can differentiate into almost any other type of cell in the body. Stem cells come from sites in the bone marrow, as well as the tissues of developing fetuses. The most controversial issue in stem cell therapy is the use of fetuses for their stem cells. Scientists want to clone human embryos, and use the stem cells long before the embryo matures (when it is only about 36 cells). This causes a large amount of unease in society, because people fear that stem cells and therapeutic cloning will lead us into disgusting and horrible experimental practices, as well as therapies. Most people in America do not want this horrible vision of the future to come true, so they want all stem cell technology and research banned. People do not want horrible freaks of nature running around, so they want to completely ban stem cell research. There are many stories surrounding the research being done with stem cells. In his article â€Å"Who but a Fiend Would Cross Pigs With Men?,† Ian Hunter shows his discontent for the stem cell research methods (Hunter, 2002). He covers a procedure where doctors implanted the stem cells of a human into the egg cells of a pig, and they started to divide within the pig. The scientists terminated the embryos before they could grow very large, but this â€Å"study† is way over the line. For no reason should we try to defy the course of nature beyond what is necessary to aid humans survival, such as using antibiotics, and other remedies, but we should not try to create men from animals. His is one reason why stem cells should be at least regulated if not banned. Experiments like this if unchecked could lead to horrible creations from... ...be a group against the use of fetuses, cloned or not. The ethical issues behind the method in which stem cells are obtained out weigh the benefits of stem cell therapy. We should not try to play God, in the aspect of creation of living beings just to be sacrificed for the â€Å"betterment of mankind†. Many egregious acts have been committed under the guise of â€Å"the greater good†. This is one instance in which the ends do not justify the means. References 1. How Far to Go? (2003, January 4). The Economist. p 11. 2. Hunter, I. (2002, November). Who but a fiend would cross pigs with men? Report/ Newsmagazine, Vol. 29, issue 22, p 24. 3. Spotts, P. N. (1998, November 6). Embryo- Based Research: Advances and Argument. Christian Science Monitor, Vol. 90, issue 241, p. 3. 4. Science and Fiction. (2002, February 22). The Commonweal. Vol.129, issue 4 p. 7