Biomedical research forms the foundation of all clinical remedies for both communicable and non-communicable diseases affecting the lives of human beings and animals. Advancements in biomedical research have invested in embryonic stem cells (ESCs) research to develop treatments for these diseases (Gaobotse 2). Embryonic stem cell research involves the use of embryo cells of approximately five days old from human beings and animals.
The preference for embryonic stem cells for research is based on their competence in replicating continuously in culture media and the capacity to differentiate into diverse cell types from a single cell when subjected to suitable conditions. However, embryonic stem cell research is curbed with ethical and political policies protecting humans and animals from overexploitation (Huang et al. 106). This paper discusses the values of embryonic stem cell research and whether it is appropriate for the government to finance it.
Research activities involving the use of embryonic stem cells are instrumental to human wellbeing in the long term world health plans. Embryonic stem cells are obtained from the blastocysts of five days or that which is already implanted in the womb of female animals or human beings (Gopalan et al. 260). The potency of ESCs to differentiate in a pluripotent manner attracts the attention of research scientists to use them in designing disease remedies and understanding cellular activities. Embryonic stem cells are used to generate therapies for cancer, and damaged tissues, and organ replacement, and test toxic effects of drugs (Gopalan et al. 258).
It is conclusive from the reasons behind embryonic stem cell use that people are likely to benefit more than expected as the objectives seeking for their use entails generating remedy to catastrophic diseases.
The research on embryonic stem cells is unethical and should be approached with careful considerations of the right to live for everybody. As suggested by the name, getting embryonic stem cells means destroying human or animal embryos on the fifth day after fertilization (Kirstin and Yang 6).
According to the United States federal policies and guidelines on biomedical research, a fetus is defined as a conceived embryo until the day of delivery. The policies protect the fetus from destruction, especially the ones in the mother’s womb, and if research is to be done on it, it must promote the life of the fetus. Furthermore, it is irreligious to kill, and by so destroying the fetus’s life while searching for medical therapies, embryonic stem cell research activities are questionable for their ethical validity (Kirstin and Yang 7, 8). Moreover, the irony of killing the fetus to save a life should be cleared by bringing on board, scientists who are passionate about embryonic stem cell research.
Research using human embryonic stem cells should be considered for government funding. Taking into consideration, HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer’s, and cancer, there is a need for persistence in research seeking to develop a remedy for these lives threatening and catastrophic diseases. As a promising area to venture into, embryonic stem cell research can be used to understand these diseases for cure development (Huang et al. 106). As a responsibility of the government to provide good health to the citizens, allowing human embryonic stem cell research is a step ahead in unveiling diverse remedies to human diseases. Therefore, government funding should be allocated to facilitate human embryonic stem cell research activities just as with other biomedical research fields (Gopalan et al. 260).
Government policies hindering embryonic stem cell research should be amended to establish well-monitored activities. Establishing regulations on the use of the human embryo in research and centralizing all programs to a given facility would ensure the security of peoples’ lives and facilitate progress in medical research (Huang et al. 107). Moreover, the embryos for generating cell lines for research should be exclusively obtained through fertilizations from outside women’s bodies to promote their good health.
The process of egg donation should also be monitored to ensure that people are regulated from developing toxic tendencies of generating money through such activities (Gopalan et al. 257). It is by financing embryonic stem cells research that even the government can achieve maximum regulation of its programs through ethical permit provision.
In conclusion, embryonic stem cell research is a promising sector within the field of biomedicine. The purpose as to why it was developed including transplantation therapies makes a concrete case to the public and the government that it is worth promotion. However, it also comes clear that it is unethical to kill an established life in research for the well-being of others. Therefore, it requires properly standardized protocols in developing embryos outside the human body and strictly using them for research. Government policies that favor embryonic stem cell research activities should be established to allow for their funding since they seek to solve health problems just as other biomedical research programs do.
Works Cited
Gaobotse, G. “Stem cell research in Africa: Legislation and challenges.” Journal of Regenerative Medicine, vol. 7, no. 1, 2018, pp. 1-3.
Gopalan, Nishakanthi, et al. “Global human embryonic stem cell laws and policies and their influence on stem cell tourism.” Biotechnology Law Report, vol. 7, no.1, 2018, pp. 255-269.
Kirstin, Matthews, and Erin Yang. Politics and policies guiding human embryo research in the United States. Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, 2019, pp. 1-46.
Huang, Sharon, et al. “Solutions to the advancement of stem cell research.” Asian Social Science, vol. 13, no. 7, 2017, pp. 107-111.