LIT REVIEW

LIT REVIEW

The research of stem cells has been a very heated issue for quite some time now. Starting in the 50's, when the first bone marrow transplant happened between two identical twins, all the way up to today and counting. With the advanced research scientists and doctors currently have, this field of medicine is always moving forward. There are two different type of stem cells, ESC (embryonic stem cells), that only exist in the earliest stage of life, and non- embryonic stem cells, that appear in later fetal development and stick with you throughout life. Both have huge impacts on today’s medicine, but the research of ESC is where most of the attention lies, reason being is because the only way to obtain these cells is from unborn fetuses. With that being said you can see how this subject is very sensitive. My paper will be focusing on why the research of these cells are extremely helpful and what they can achieve. These cells are beyond beneficial and have the potential to set new standards for modern medicine. The research of ESC can lead to the cure of Diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer's, Osteogenesis Imperfecta (brittle bone disease), Parkinson’s, and so many more. Scientists haven't even begun to scratch the surface of the limitless potential of embryonic stem cell research. The sources I have found and will be using for my paper cover these three categories: Religious views, Doctors/ Scientist, and Political debate.

 I have explored the web to find all the views I could get regarding thoughts on stem cell research. Religious perspectives was a major part of my research. Almost all of the articles I have read, relate to religious thoughts on the issue. Richard Dawkins back in 2002 wrote "it is human; it will not articulate itself into some other kind of animal. Any being that is human is a human being." this was stated in "Homsap: Elixir of holiness". Although this article gives great information to why stem cell research is un-ethical, it also gives strong evidence to why it could do wonders to the world. Dawkins states other religious views on the same issue in his own words; "On the other side some theologians, including even some Catholic ones, have suggested that an embryo less than fourteen days old cannot be "a person" because before that age it is still capable of dividing and becoming two people". With both of these things being said, I have plenty in this article to give me a full rounded view on the issue. Richard O Hynes in the article "Guidelines for human embryonic stem cell research" quotes; "As the study of hES cells accelerates worldwide, federal funding for this research area in the United States has been severely limited by ethical controversy." With that being said you can see how the ethical controversy plays a huge roll in the hES cell research. Again another quote similar to the others stated by Seongwuk Moon,"Human embryonic stem cell (hESC) research has huge scientific and medical potential but has provoked fierce controversy: the possible destruction of human embryos during the derivation of hESC lines has elicited serious ethical issues from religious and political  communities." This passage was stated in the article "Differential Impact of Science Policy on Subfields of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research".

Doctors and Scientist have more than enough to say and back up their work regarding the research of stem cells. They both have outstanding things to say about stem cells and a good portion of my sources fall back on the evidence these doctors and scientist have to say. Insoo Hyun stated in the article "Magic eggs and the Frontier of Stem Cell Science"; “It was declared that from these special eggs sprang forth entities with enormous potential power-patient-specific pluripotent human stem cells that could teach scientists how to treat uncured diseases and injuries." ESC have so much power, if these cells are still fourteen days young (Dawkins), then they have the power to turn into 2 different souls, meaning the potential is limitless. Jonathan Moreno states in an interview; "Scientists largely agree that stem cells may hold a key to the treatment, and even cure of many serious medical conditions. Many scientists say that embryonic stem cell research is necessary to unlock the promise of stem cell therapies since embryonic stem cells can develop into any cell type in the human body". Moreno again states a powerful connection; "If a child dies from a disease that might have been preventable if we had been able to research that disease using embryos already slated for destruction or persistent refrigeration – such as embryos used at in vitrofertilization clinics – I don’t see how the death of that child contributes to human dignity." Scientists and Doctors are a huge part of my paper and I have collected so much factual evidence and statists that I believe I will have a strong paper.
The political debate of hES cells are the top headliners and stories everyone hears about. The political debate gets the top of the medias attentions and has been for years and counting. "Most notably, the field witnessed the 2001 restriction on funding for ES cell research in the USA by President Bush and the lifting of the ban in 2009 by President Obama.", was quoted from the article "The ethical, legal and political minefield of stem cell research".