While stem cells hold the potential to treat numerous diseases and injuries, they are still mired by controversy. At times it seems like there is more focus on why stem cells are bad, instead of their potential for good! We take a look at what makes stem cells such a contentious issue.
What are stem cells?
Stem cells are unspecialized, "blank" cells, which means that they have yet to be assigned a specific type: brain, heart, lung, etc. Additionally, stem cells are capable of dividing to produce more stem cells.
What's the controversy?
The use of stem cells is nothing new. Since the 1980s, stem cells have been used to grow skin grafts for treating burn victims. What is relatively new is the controversy surrounding the use of stem cells. Once embryonic stem cells were discovered in 1998, moral and ethical questions were raised concerning this new finding.The reason for concern was due to the extraction process required for stem cells—the removal of these cells leads to the destruction of the embryo itself.
Members of the pro-life movement fuel the stem cell debate because of their concerns with the rights and status of the embryos which they view to be a human life. Therefore, they argue the destruction of an embryo is equivalent to taking a human life. Their argument lies in the belief that human life begins at the moment of conception when a sperm fertilizes an egg and a single cell is formed.
Despite the relatively fringe and overtly religious nature of these complaints, restrictions about the use of embryonic stem cells were passed in 2009. The National Institutes of Health require researchers to follow guidelines regarding the use and donation of embryos. Embryos must be produced via in vitro fertilization and can only be used when there is no longer a need for them. Additionally, embryos are donated with the consent of the donor, who cannot receive compensation for the donation.
