To put it plainly and simply they are cells that can be formed into any other cells. This is great for being able to treat numerous disease like, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and even could possibly cure cancer. 1 These cells could be used to replace the damaged or mutated cells or even used to clone cells for lukemia patients or reproduce skin cells for burn patients.
Those in the medical and scientific community agree that stem cell research grants a promising future for treatment options with terminal or uncomfortable diseases. "Stem cell research and treatments represent perhaps mankind's greatest opportunity to fulfill that ancient call to "heal the sick," relieve suffering and improve the quality of life for untold millions of people." 2
There are two types of stem cells: Adult stem cells, which can be found in the body (i.e. fat cells) and embryonic stem cells which are cultures of cells derived from four- or five-day-old embryos, and fertilized cells. Those who oppose the notion of embryonic stem cell research, (which often uses embryos discarded by fertility clinics) want it to be severely restricted or banned because they believe it is outright inhumane to be doing. 1 The big debate on stem cell research is really dealing with ethics more than the actual nature of science. When does "life" begin?
For those against embryonic stem cell research life begins at conception. The point when a sperm and an egg combine to make an embryo. That means that we are killing human potential in the name of science. But those who believe in stem cell research believe that life begins at self-awarness. That means that there is no harm, ethically, being done but research into finding ways to aid in life-altering treatment options. In the next few posts I will be elaborating more on both sides, giving you more facts and setting straight any myths that might have arised through this debate.
Politics:
The first ban on stem cell research was in 1996 where an admendment was passed that tax dollars would not go towards the funding of embryonic stem cell reasearch and for short time, the ban stood in the way of taxpayer who financed embryonic stem cell research. The reason was the embryos are being destroyed when stem cells are extracted from them and the ethics that went with it was a controversy in itself. However, a few years later, in August 2001, in a careful compromise, President George W. Bush ordered that "tax dollars could be used for studies on a small number of lines, of stem cells already extracted from embryos -- so long as federal researchers did not do the extraction themselves." 1
Throughout the years following Congress were recieving numerous calls from suffering from diseases that stem cells research might be the only hope. On March 9, 2009, President Obama issued an executive order rescinding the limits set by former President Bush and making clear that the government supported stem-cell research. The order will allow research on hundreds of stem cell lines already in existence, as well as ones yet to be created, from embryos left over from fertility treatments that would otherwise be discarded. So they are not destroying human potential that wasn't already going to be thrown away in the first place. The order was issued just in time for researchers to take advantage of money in Mr. Obama's economic recovery package and use it for stem cell studies.
TIME Magazine had it right though: "Stem cell research, of course, will continue on some level no matter what the President decides; private foundations, clinics, and drug companies are unaffected by government funding" 3
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