Introduction
The controversy on stem cell research provides an ideal research ground to understand the views of the society on scientific developments that adopt holistic approaches. The selection of this topic was informed by the need to understand the society in terms of beliefs, norms, and views on scientific development. Thus, this analytical treatise attempts to explicitly review the controversies surrounding stem cell research to understand its current position in the society and possible merits against demerits in the progress of humanity.
Relevant Background Information
A lot of research has been done on adult stem cell research. The research includes the views of protagonists, antagonists, and neutral concerns on adult stem cell research. As antagonists of adult stem cell research, Zarzeczny and Caulfield (2009) assert that that moral implication concerning human cloning has been avoided, though has rarely been scrutinized with any strictness (p. 99). The authors illustrate possible benefits and malpractices of stem cell research and draw moral principles that should be adopted, since most of stem research studies are incompatible with human rights concerns. Further, Zarzeczny and Caulfield (2009) argue that the legality of stem cell theory still remains as a concern to many. Even though stem cell research may provide a powerful method of treating medical disorders, there are still numerous immoral and unethical problems that need to be addressed (Zarzeczny & Caulfield, 2009).
In addition, the authors identify the moral, ethical, legal issues that have catalyzed the controversy and stand between the protagonists and antagonists of stem cell research as the pureness of life, interferences with creation, and mutilation of human dignity. Adopting a holistic approach, Zarzeczny and Caulfield offer a critical and open approach towards understanding the ethical issues surrounding stem cell research. The authors believe that it is wrong to use human embryos for any kind of research or medical therapy and proceeded to characterize the practice as “high tech cannibalism” (Zarzeczny & Caulfield 2009, p. 99).
Moreover, the medics Dottori and Pebay (2012) offer a practical approach on how adult stem cells may be useful in treating heritable diseases. They state that stem cells are harvested from three to five days old human embryos. Many cells can be used during culturing until desired outcome is attained in treatment of hereditary illnesses. From their scientific research studies, Dottori and Pebay (2012) found out that Stem cell therapy can be used to curb medical disorders affecting blood cells such as leukemia, ADA deficiency or damage to the spinal code.
Functionally, the authors argue that stem cells have capacity to self renew as well as to generate differentiate cells with different functions such as heart, skin, lung and nerve system. As protagonists of stem cells research, Dottori and Pebay (2012) argue that stem cell research is the next miracle in treatment of hereditary illness since patients with medical disorders would be injected with cultured stem cells directed to the affected areas. The cells are expected to proliferate and differentiate to correct the disorder (Roetz, 2006; Boonstra, 2009). As a result, the research will be more beneficial to humanity since the stem cells used will save life.
Waters and Turner (2011) provide an antagonist view of stem cells research. Specifically, the authors present human cloning as a malpractice activity that has moral implications to various religious faiths since various religious dominations, such as Protestantism, Catholicism, Islamic religion, Hindu, and Jewish community, claim that the process is against the will of the supreme being (Waters & Turner, 2011). Therefore, stem cell research development has raised concerns on how human cloning contravenes human dignity.
How Stem Cell Research is Treated in Different Healthcare Systems
Many health systems across the world have embraced responsible stem cell research, especially in treatments of hereditary ailments and accident victims. The practice is limited to use of young embryo cells upon approval by the health regulatory authorities. Basically embryonic and therapeutic cloning has been accepted by all health systems across the world. However, human cloning as part of stem cell research remains illegal in all countries (Dottori & Pebay, 2012).
Views of Those Supporting the Stem Cell Research
Modern scientists have victoriously adopted the stem cell research process to resolve human health challenges. For example, modern scientists employed scientific cloning to generate stem cells from human embryos. Several scientific research studies have been carried out on the use of stem cells therapy to cure some medical disorders. The procedure of treatment using stem cell involves isolating the cells, stimulating the cells to differentiate into the desired cells, grown in culture, and then finally injecting the cells into the patient (Boonstra, 2009).
However, there are certain obstacles that stem cell therapy has to overcome before it becomes a reality. For instance, there can be a possibility of immune rejection since the injection of isolated human embryos stem cells into the patient body is similar to organ or tissue transplant and therefore, the stem cell will have to deal with the patient immune system. There is a health risk when the patient’s immune system is not compatible with the organ or tissue being transplanted (Dottori & Pebay, 2012).
The major problem associated with culturing of stem cells is uncontrolled differentiation. Notwithstanding, this can be easy to deal with when using adult stem cells but very difficult with human embryo cells. With the human embryos cell, once it begins to differentiate into fibroblasts or cells that look very much like fibroblasts, the medic has to start a new culture and this imply that the doctor would require unlimited access to human embryo which is not possible in reality (Roetz, 2006). In addition, the studies carried out on stem cell research are inefficient to guarantee that accurate targeting of the injected differentiated cells into the affected area will occur. Misdirected cell may pose a very big health problem in the patient’s body, especially for cells destined for brain or spinal cord. Despite many ill fated perceptions have been raised against cloning, the practice has great benefits in human society, especially to people who are internal illnesses (Boonstra, 2009).
Rationale of Those Opposing Stem Cell Research
Despite the usefulness of stem cell research, its opponents have demanded immediate stop citing religious, social, and human rights concerns. Indeed, there are many ethical issues which have been raised to ensure that adult stem cell research is prohibited. Stem cell research, particularly human cloning, has faced many reactions from religious leaders. For example, Catholicism ideology states that life is a constant development process from the point of conception to death (Zarzeczny & Caulfield, 2009). Catholic leaders have opposed the process of taking out stem cells from terminated fetuses or extra embryos with an aim of biomedical use. Moreover, leaders of the Catholic Church believe that people who attempt to carry out such practices are ruining human life (Waters & Turner, 2011).
Conclusion
The main factors associated with rejection of stem cell research are the aspects of social activeness, ethics, religion, and purpose. Notably, it is apparent that several scientific steps have been made towards understanding the importance of stem cell research. Reflectively, in terms of the rational analysis, the merits of stem cell research exceeds it demerits when practiced responsibly.
References
Boonstra, H. (2009). Human embryo and fetal research: Medical support and political controversy. The Guttmacher Report on Public Policy, 3(4), 23-45.
Dottori, M., & Pebay, A. (2012). Adult stem cells and their potential in treating heritable diseases. Web.
Roetz, H. (2006). Cross-cultural issues in Bioethics: the example of human cloning. Amsterdam: Rodopi.
Waters, B., & Turner, R. (2011). God and the embryo: Religious voices on stem cells and cloning. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press.
Zarzeczny, A., & Caulfield, T. (2009). Emerging ethical, legal and social issues associated with stem cell research & and the current role of the moral status of the embryo. Stem Cell Reviews 5(2), 96-101.