For my "show and tell" i wanted to talk about stem sell research, since i was absent that day i thought i would blog it.
President obama signed a bill allowing stem cell research to receive federal funding, something that hasn't been allowed in the last 8 years. It is a very controversy subject. There are pros and cons to each side.
THE DEBATE
All researchers must consider the ethics of their research. They must consider whether the positive effects are likely to be significantly higher than the negative effects.
The controversy surrounding stem cell research has both very positive consequences and very negative consequences, thus leading to a intense debate.
The stem cell research has already given us knowledge which has increased our standard of lives. Most famous is the bone marrow transplantation which treats leukemia, lymphoma and other inherited blood disorders.
In the near future, treatment for Diabetes Type 1-Patients and Advanced Kidney Cancer are the most likely candidates to arrive at the marked if the research is continued.
But there are also some serious concerns about the research: Up until now, human abortion has been needed to get proper material to study.
Cons
"We should not mess with human life."
Some argue that stem cell research in the far future can lead to knowledge on how to clone humans. It is hard to say whether this is true, but we have seen devastating consequences of other research, even with good intentions, such as nuclear research.
Pros
Stem cell research can potentially help treating a range of medical problems. It could lead us closer to cure:
Parkinson’s Disease
Alzheimer’s Disease
Heart Diseases, Stroke and Diabetes (Type 1)
Birth Defects
Spinal Cord Injuries
Replace or Repair Damaged Organs
Reduced Risk of Transplantation (You could possibly get a copy of your own heart in a heart-transplantation in the future)
My health instructor is constantly telling us that our generation will have to deal with alot of controversy issues.
What are your opinions on this issue?
If it was up for a vote, how would you vote?
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2 comments:
I'd vote for it, just on the simple statement that people in general never asked for those medical problems (and why would they?). I think they deserve every chance they have to get better and maybe even cure them. I think they should only use stem cell research for those reasons. Cloning a human just seems waaaay too weird and is completely unnecessary.
I would vote for it. All that can be learned and some day cured ...The advancements that can be made and the good that comes from the the research.
These are already aborted fetuses that would other wise be destroyed. I could never work that way or use animals for research, but science does and will so I say let them. Yes its horrible but at least this way some good is the result.
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