Stem Cell Controversy essays

Stem Cell Controversy essays The history of medicine was forever changed in November of 1998 by the discovery of stem cells. Throughout medical history humans have strived to understand the many functions of the human body. From the first operation ever performed, to the sequencing of the human genome, stem cell research is the next step in modern medical science. According to the Committee on Government Reform, there has been much opposition and controversy as to whether or not the government should fund stem cell research. This, in turn, has sparked a huge political debate that is still on going today. The fact of the matter is that stem cells are the key factor to new research and technology, and can lead to revolutionary developments in curing diseases that have been killing millions for decades (House of Reps 1-3). We can only hope that our government will take the step in medical technology and research in order to better the lives of Americans. Therefore, the federal government should allow federal money to be used for research on stem cells derived from excess frozen embryos and aborted fetuses. An article on the use of fetal stem cells explains that rats and cats have recently been used in experiments that have made it possible to transplant fetal tissue into damaged spinal cords in order to improve movement. Unfortunately, this treatment has not been widely tested on humans because a large number of fetuses are required to obtain enough tissue to treat even one patient, thus causing both practical and ethical problems (quoted in Mitchell). If given both time and government support, humans will ultimately be able to be treated as well. However, the federal law has prohibited the use of tax dollars to destroy human embryos (Robinson), thus putting the U.S. at a major technological disadvantage. During Bill Clintons administration rules were adopted allowing federally funded scientists to conduct experiments on open ...