Real Stem Cell Research
Hello again. I came upon this article and it really made me think. We have been hearing for years that embryonic stem cell research, the kind you actually have to kill an unborn child to do, is going to lead to a new world of medical breakthroughs curing all kinds of diseases. Yet time and time again we see that the real breakthroughs are being done by adult stem cell research, where an adult gives cells from their own bodies to help another human being in need. This is a really touching story about a woman who donated stem cells in her eyes so that her sister could see. It was a huge medical breakthrough. No one is against advancing science or saving lives, and this is a great example of doing this without having to go down that dark road of judging how many lives you must end to do it. Kudos to all the people out there who are doing real stem cell research, and have the courage not to sacrifice human life to do so.
Hi,
I do not wish to donate my stemp cell. I’m very uncomfortable by knowing that my professors at the university decided to place me in this research. They wanted to stop my progess. There are people who wish to donate their cells but I can’t even imagine giving my organs even after my death. Please, do not take my embryonic cells. People broke me from my long term relationship to get to their own research’s welfare. Tell me how may I Opt myself out. I’m a designer, an architect I’m not meant for this.
Embrionic stem cell research is controversial because some people equate destruction of the embrio with “murder” of a “child” or a “baby.” Fact is, embrios are not babies. Though they contain DNA for full human development, typically they are significantly less mature developmentally in both form and function than a baby. Granted, from a survival-of-the-species point of view they have value, but their value is relatively less than that of the fully grown baby. The decision to terminate an embrio, say for the advancement of science and the resulting benefit to society, for example, is a value judgment.
Why is the value of human beings that are younger than those who are older? Is the same thing true after birth?
Our problem is with a value judgment that says some human beings have no rights and are disposable. That’s about as fundamental as a human rights violation as you can get.