Stem Cell Research
Federal Funding of Stem-Cell ResearchSince the death of former President Ronald Regan, federal funding of embryonic stem cell research is a topic which continues to be present in our headlines. Some people feel that embryonic stem cells could produce a cure for the devastating disease of Alzheimer's. Nancy Reagan is now trying to influence President Bush to lift restrictions on federal funding for researchusing stem cells. Technical and medical advances are developing at an astronomical rate and the law needs to follow and help to shape these advances. Fetal tissues have been used for medical research for years so this is not a new idea in the medical community. Most all nations have been forced to re-examine their laws on genetic testing since the advances in embryonic stem cells, human genome mapping and human cloning. Researchers were able to first isolate human embryonic stem (ES) cells in 1998. This discovery was made at the University of Wisconsin by biologist Dr. James Thomson. But very little research was done on these cells due to the restrictions that were put in place by the by-laws of funding for the National Institutes of Health by the Congressional Appropriations committee. An appropriations bill
Research supporters say the embryos were to be destroyed anyway, and the research that can be done using these cells has the possibility to cure many devastating diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. So if the embryos are not yet individuals there is no legal, moral or ethical stake in question, and the researchers should be allowed to use these cells as they see necessary to advance medicine in the United States. But President Bush and many other Americans believe human life begins with a single fertilized egg. (Aschoff, 2004) In the United States, nearly all of the embryonic stem cell research has been privately funded. Although the National Institute of Health is supportive in the preliminary research and the development of isolation of specific cell types, controlling cell proliferation and controlling interactions between hosts and transplanted cells, the scientific community must now wait for funding and guidance to be able to continue their research. Therefore, these cells are not as useful as the stem cells derived from human embryos. The second question, should the government use federal funds to support this type of research? Opponents, of the embryonic stem cell research, state it is wrong to use federal funds which cause the destruction of human life. (Aschoff, 2004) Also fueling the opponents' side of the debate is that to this date, human embryonic stem cells have not helped a single person. This will create an ongoing supply for research. The problem with cord blood stem cells is that can only be collected in small amounts. Scientists believe that with federal funds allocated for stem cell research, the most creative and talented scientists will be attracted to the field of stem cell research. For example, cells could be implanted into a patient who has had experienced damaged heart cells from a heart attack. The most vocal opponent is the Catholic Church. They are disturbed as they don't believe that individuals should be sacrificed for the good of others.
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Acceptance Essays
