"Compared to conventional chemotherapy, autologous [coming from the patient] stem cell transplantation can extend "event-free survival" [This refers to the period of time from allocation of patients to one of the treatment groups until recurrence of the disease, progression of the disease or death. They found proof of this in patients with breast cancer both with and without distant metastases.]for breast cancer patients. Clinical trials provide proof of this for breast cancer with and without distant metastases. However, there are indications that this type of stem cell transplantation can more frequently give rise to severe complications affecting almost all organ systems. This is the conclusion of the final report of the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) published on 16 December 2009." 1
This benefit comes with side-effects and severe complications that will affect almost all of the organ systems, mainly blood and gastrointestinal tract. They found that the survival rate for chemotherapy was much higher than stem cell treatment. So treatments tried as early as a month ago have been found to improve life substantially...but with complications. In another study done by EPLF studied what stem cells would do in a mouse with Parkinson's. They found out that in 20% of the cases the stem cells caused deadly brain tumors to form and within 2 months those mice died. So there is still reason to be researching this before we start heavily into the treatments. Stem cells are cells that are possible for any type of cell to develop. They are there to develop the cells we program them to be. But no one can tell which ones will do what they are supposed to and which ones will go rampant and start causing people to have worse problems then when they started. Why put our population through this horrific treatment options when there is a great chance of death? We have great treatments (though sometimes not as effective for some as it is most) but they work most of the time, right?
If that doesn't disuade you from stem cell research, opposers will go the ethics route dealing with the embryonic stem cell research. Just like in abortion, there is the debate of when does life begin? Most orthodox will say that life begins at the moment of contraception, while others say that it begins when there is self-awarness. 2 Here, an embryo (human potential) is used, or killed, for research purposes. Though what many people don't know that the embryo is 5 days old from moment of contraception and known as a blastyocyte. This means that it is just beginning to seperate into multiple cells. So basically it is a bunch of cells. These embryos come from in-vitro fertilization clinics and are the discarded embryos after parents deside that they don't want to have chilren anymore or can not pay for the keeping of them. So one can make the argument that they were going to be thrown away anyways so why not make them useful? The ethics still remains. When does life begin? There is also the fact that people who believe in this argument believe that these potential humans have rights too. 3 Even though they can not speak for themselves they are humans, just like we all once were embryos. Are we killing human potential or saving suffering souls? It really is implausable to believe that embryos have rights for that would mean every scientist who does this research would thus be called a murder. Also if this is the common belief, that life begins at contraception and no life should be distroyed, then in-vitro clinics should be shut down becuase life is thrown away when not needed anymore. 3 I believe looking at it in that persepective sheds some light onto the situation.
Another setback to those who are for the research are forced with this other dilema to fight. Along with stem cell research, if it is legalized it will open the way to dehumanizing practices, such as embryo farms, cloned babies, the use of fetuses for spare parts, and the commodification of human life. 3 When does it stop? When does the search for the fountain of youth and immortality stop and just living begins? When do we stop going against the natural order of things and start accepting it? Many people (including I) just want suffering to stop, so is there a need for cloning, embryo farms, and fetus mutilation?
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