Embryonic Stem Cell Research

Embryonic Stem Cell Research

I. Introduction

What do you consider to be a human being? Well to the Muslim culture believes that at the end of the fourth month of pregnancy, the Roman Catholic Church after 40 days of conception and the Jewish law states the embryo has no moral status till after 40 days after implantation. Biologically human beings are defined as hominids of the species Homo sapiens, which are a primate species of mammal with a highly developed brain. This is one of the reasons why stem cell research has had such a problem when attempting to move forward in research. (Kelly)

Stem cell research is the future of medicine and once issues such as ethics can be overlooked there can be an abundance of improvement in the world of medicine.

In this speech I will discuss the involvement of people and ethics, improvements of stem cell and what we can do for stem cell research. (stem cells)

II. Body

A. Stem Cell Benefits

1. Stem cells are able to differentiate themselves into any type of cell within the body. (Kelly)

a. But the type of stem cell that is possible to do so is the embryonic stem cell. There are other types of stem cells but the embryonic stem cell is the only type that has the biological make up to take on these characteristics.

b. Embryonic stem cells are usually derived from discarded embryos leftover after IVF treatment or from the placenta after birth (NIH)

2. The replacement from these cells have the possibility to treat diseases such as Alzheimer diseases, spinal cord injury, stroke, burns, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis

a. Bone marrow transplants used to treat leukemia

b. Stem cells are new potentials for the treating of diseases such as diabetes and heart disease

c. Stem cells can also be used to make a regenerative medicine which is what's needed to cure these diseases. (stem cell basics)

3. But due to the intervening of ethics which are disciplines of philosophy that deals with what is right and wrong in human behavior and conduct, little work can be done without people voicing their support. (Kelly)

a. Many believe that the use of stem cells is a form of murder but that's usually related to abortion. (stem cells)

b. Although embryonic stem cells do involve the use of damaged embryos those who support in vitro procedures don't support embryonic stem cell use when in actuality they're both the same thing.