Stem Cell Research
Have you ever come across someone suffering from Alzheimer's disease? What about Parkinson's disease? How about someone terminally ill with liver cancer unable to get a transplant? Unfortunate, is it not? What if a potential breakthrough could solve these problems, but it is surrounded by controversy? One such breakthrough is Stem Cell Research. The primary business issue with Stem Cell Research is whether or not extensive amounts of research time and capital should be invested in this promising, yet controversial technology.The controversy arises with the source of stem cells. These cells are found in placental tissue, fat tissue, and umbilical cords. Embryonic Stem Cell Research, (SCR), relies on unused, excess embryos from in-vitro fertilizations (IVF). When the researchers extract the stem cells from the embryo, the embryo dies. Moreover, many activists provide that embryonic SCR does not hold any clinical use; therefore, making it a bad research investment for the future. Not only has this medical research become entangled in the obvious abortion debate, but protesting groups say "destroying an embryo to get the stem cells and investing in the worthless research is an unacceptable use of taxpayer dollars" (Berg
Briefly, the embryonic SCR social dilemma can essentially be broken down into being a debate between a Pro-Life and a Pro-Choice campaign. This is exactly what Professor Austin Smith, of Edinburgh University, is afraid of. Dr Arne Sunde, a cell biologist and director of the IVF unit at the University Hospital of Trondheim in Norway is a leading pioneer in SCR. Recently, researchers have developed a new kind of SCR. If successful, this breakthrough may not only solve the social dilemma, but also the business issue faced by embryonic SCR researchers. Supporters say the embryos were going to be destroyed anyway and that "research from their cells holds the potential to cure debilitating diseases such as diabetes, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's" (Berger, 2). A stem cell from a rat embryo was induced to form a hind limb on an adult rat. Moreover, if stem cells can be implanted into the spinal cord "there is a possibility that functioning nerves could grow again and restore some of the function of paralyzed limbs" (Connor, 20). Cases such as these entice many critics to protest even more to the "excessive waste of tax-payers dollars and valuable research time" (Prentice, 22). Research opponents say SCR is wrong because it destroys human life. Confronted with so much opposition, researchers have concentrated some resources on finding a possible compromise, possibly an alternative. Fortunately, there may be some sort of compromise in the horizon. The monetary and time investments do not seem to be made out of brazen confidence or coincidence. Research using stem cells offers the potential to inform us about the earliest molecular and cellular processes that regulate normal development.
Common topics in this essay:
Embryonic SCR,
Research SCR,
Sunde Union,
Alzheimer's Parkinson's,
Walter Low,
Adult SCR,
Medical Association's,
Zain Hashmi,
Edinburgh University,
Pro-Life Pro-Choice,
stem cells,
embryonic scr,
bone marrow,
stem cell,
stem cell research,
adult scr,
embryonic stem,
cell research,
research investment,
venture capitalists,
business issue,
own bone marrow,
obvious abortion debate,
embryonic stem cells,
venture capitalists angels,
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