Stem Cell Research

Stem Cells
Are unspecialized They do not have any tissue-specific structures that allow for specialized function Are able to differentiate They become cells with special functions such as: White blood cells to fight infection Cardiac muscle to pump blood Able to replenish without limit Possible through cell division

Embryonic and Adult

Embryonic Stem Cells: Differentiate into any cell type Large numbers can be harvested May cause immune rejection Rejection of ES cells by recipient has not been shown yet (National, 2001) Adult Stem Cells: Differentiation into some cell types, limited outcomes Limited numbers, more difficult to isolate Less likely to cause immune rejection, since the patients own cells can be used

Uses in Science
Stem cells have the ability to replace damaged cells with healthy ones. supporting the expectation for diseases to treatments or cures Cell based therapy(National, 2001) Also referred to as regenerative or reparative medicine Therapeutic cloning (I Am, 2012) Cancer research (Hunziker, 2010)

On August 9, 2001, former President George W. Bush restricted funds given to research using human embryonic stem cells. The constrained funding and extensive criteria had a severe impact on the number of stem cell lines that were able to continue research. Currently, President Barrack changed the way the National Institutes of Health (NIH) can administrate stem cell research.

At Conception, It Is Only a Single Cell

Claim: Fertilized eggs are single cells, like blood cells or other parts of the body Claim: Embryos are only potential life. Most do not result in births

Definition of Personhood
One who has a history of performing personal acts
eliminates one who was in a coma from birth, but wakes up

One with a future capacity for performing personal acts

makes those who are dying as non-persons

Embryo Is Not a Person

Persons . . . are members of a social community that shapes and values them, and personhood must be defined in terms of interactions and relationships with others.
(Sherwin, 1999)

Definition of Personhood
One who is consciously performing personal acts eliminates those who are sleeping One with a present capacity to perform personal acts eliminates those who are in a coma

Frozen Embryos Are Going to Be Discarded Anyway

Proponents of human embryonic stem cell research say that embryos from IVF are going to be discarded and, so, should be used for research

Arguments Against Embryonic Stem Cell Research

27% of Americans are against ESC Research Religious groups Pro-life groups Others immoral, unethical
(Research America, 2012)

Religious Standpoint
Going against will of God Destroying human life is immoral and inhumane playing God Catholics believe a human life [is] worthy of full moral protection from the moment of conception
(Nisbet, 2005, p. 92)

Non-religious Standpoint
Yuval Levin - former director of the Presidents Council on Bioethics real issue concerning ESC research lies in the concept of human equality Declaration of Independence = birth certificate of the United States, describes each man as being created equal - Human equality doesnt mean that every person is the same or that every person can be valued in the same way on every scale. What it means is that our common humanity is something that we all share. And what that means, in turn, is that we cant treat a human being in certain ways that we might non-human beings

(Masci & Levin, 2008)

Other Arguments
No real successful evidence, only evidence comes from adult stem cell research Concept is not fully developed US & Japan experiment 2007 found that mice developed tumors from altered cells Takes funding away from more beneficial (and positively proven) research Cost and risk is too high for human applications
(Health Articles 101, 2010)

Religious Solutions

There may never be a solution to the religious argument because you cannot change Gods will and his followers will stand by him.

Embryo Destruction Solutions

Deriving embryonic stem cells without destructing the fetus Obtaining embryonic stem cells without actually creating a fetus

Embryo Destruction Solutions

Altered Nuclear Transfer is a technique that uses the technology of standard nuclear transfer but with a alteration that assures that no embryo is created
(Hulbert, 2005)

Embryo Destruction Solutions

Use adult stem cells because they are derived from adult tissues

References
Health Articles 101. (2010). Top 10 arguments against stem cell research. Retrieved from http://www.healtharticles101.com/top-10-arguments-against-stem-cell-research/ Hurlbut, W. (2005). Altered nuclear transfer as a morally acceptable means for the procurement of human embryonic stem cells. Perspectives in Biology and Medicine, 48(2), 211-228. Retrieved from http://muse.jhu.edu/login?auth=0&type=summary&url=/journals/perspectives_in_biolog y_and_medicine/v048/48.2hurlbut.html Hunziker, R. (2010). Regenerative medicine. National Institutes of Health, 1-2. Retrieved from http://report.nih.gov/NIHfactsheets/Pdfs/RegenerativeMedicine(NIBIB).pdf I Am Pro Stem Cell (2012). Educate yourself. Retrieved from http://www.iamprostemcell.org/iamprostemcell_educate.html Masci, D. (Interviewer) & Levin, Y. (Interviewee). (2008). The case against embryonic stem cell research: An interview with Yuval Levin [interview transcript]. Retrieved from the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life website: http://www.pewforum.org/Science-and-Bioethics/The-Case-Against-Embryonic-Stem-Cell-Research-An-Interviewwith-Yuval-Levin.aspx National Institutes of Health. (2001). Federal policy in stem cell information. Retrieved from <http://stemcells.nih.gov/policy>. Nisbet, M. (2005). The competition for worldviews: Values, information, and public support for stem cell research. International Journal of Public Opinion Research, 17(1), 92-94. Retrieved from http://ijpor.oxfordjournals.org/content/17/1/90 Research America. (2012). Voters Favor Expanding Funding for ESC Research. Retrieved from http://www.researchamerica.org/stemcell_issue