Stem Cells

“Would it be right to take the parts of other human beings without consent? That is basically what scientists and researchers are doing when they extract stem cells from embryos,” -Robinson “Stem Cell Research: All Viewpoints.”

The use of human embryos is inhumane, exaggerated, and leads to severe health risks. This plays a threat to the born and unborn and their functions.

When stem cells are extracted from embryos, the embryos lose the opportunity to ever develop further. In clear words, once the stem cells are retrieved the embryo dies and this is where many people see the unethical process of stem cells. In “Ethical concerns: extracting stem cells” it states, “The inner cell mass of an embryo is extracted. Stem cells are all that remain. The embryo is killed in the process.” This is not up for debate as it is seen that an embryo is no longer active in all trials and excavations. There is a dispute about whether life starts at conception or afterward during gestation. But whether it does or not we cannot rush into things and risk the lives of unborn babies just based on a theory of when life starts.

Another unfavorable result of stem cells is the exaggeration that it is the solution to all health factors. Miller School of Medicine wrote a collection of articles on stem cell research depicting the facts whether than the opinions of the operations in which they state, “One of the bad things about stem cells is that they have been over-hyped by the media in regard to their readiness for treating multiple diseases. As a result, stem cell tourism has become a lucrative yet unethical business worldwide. No stem cells have been proven to be effective therapies for SCI, therefore everything is still experimental and carries with it significant risk – hence it is extremely unethical to charge people money for unproven, risk-filled therapies. “There are still many trials yet to come to prove the overall readiness of stem cells to cure or slow down the effects of diseases and certain illnesses. There have also been serval causes of people selling stem cells with a promise of being cured. Once they have paid, they are left with the distinction of the results.

Not only does it not cure multiple illnesses as depicted, but it can also cause more serve health risks. What used to be Europe’s largest stem cell clinic was forced to close after the death of a young boy due to stem cell injections. There are serval cases of death or near-death experiences due to stem cell injections in places that allow it. The reason why we don’t hear about these cases in the U.S is that stem cell treatments are banned (unless shown absolutely). They are also banned in Canada, Australia, and the majority of Europe. Several paralysis treatments using stem cell transplants have led to spinal tumors as well. “There’s some risk of tumor development with just about any stem cell transplant, but risks are higher with experimental injections of unproven stem cells,” as stated by Professor Paul Knoepfler.

The effects of embryonic stem cell research leave a consequential impact not only on the embryo but on the people, it gets used on. As depicted above the overemphasized, unethical, and risked of death and tumors are all reasons to prove those stem cell injections and transplants should not be practiced. Much more research is needed to show the benefits of stem cells and with that, we should also tap into other ways of curing illnesses that are ethical.

Works Cited:

“Cell-Center Stem Cell Clinic in Germany Shut down - Lyme Net Europe.” Www.lymeneteurope.org, www.lymeneteurope.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4112#:~:text=The%20clinic%2C%20in%20D%C3%BCsseldorf%20in%20Germany%2C%20was%20closed. Accessed 21 Oct. 2021.

Knoepfler, Professor Paul, and Ph.D. “Several More Reports of Spinal Tumors from Nasal Stem Cell Transplants.” The Niche, 9 July 2019, ipscell.com/2019/07/several-more-reports-of-spinal-tumors-from-nasal-stem-cell-transplants/. Accessed 21 Oct. 2021.

Tarne, Eugene C. “Time to End Embryo-Destroying Stem Cell Research.” Charlotte Lozier Institute, 17 Nov. 2015, lozierinstitute.org/time-to-end-embryo-destroying-stem-cell-research/. Accessed 21 Oct. 2021.

“Human Stem Cell Research.” Www.religioustolerance.org, www.religioustolerance.org/res_stem2.htm. Accessed 21 Oct. 2021.

“Stem Cells, the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.” The Miami Project, 9 July 2014, www.themiamiproject.org/stem-cells-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/.