http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=6714423&page=1
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123268485825709415.html
In recent news embryonic stem cell trials have gotten approval. This trial will allow for stem cell trials to be tested on humans who have paralysis to possibly reverse the effect. Geron Corp. in Menlo Park, Cali., a biotechnology company has gotten the okay to start testing 10 patients with spinal cord injuries. This has been a debatable subject because the tests include using human embryos. Bush signed off saying that studying this will not include killing human lives, even though the embryos would be thrown out anyway for not being used. Obama has the power to override Bush's restrictions or atleast relax them. The scientists believe that an embryonic stem cell can develop and chnage to any human body. In animal research the cells literally repair the damage cells.
The procedure will be affordable, but can only be done within two weeks of the paralysis. The tests will show if this will even have an effect, such as movement or even feeling in the lower body. The results will not be shown over night but will possibly be seen over a period of weeks or months with physical therapy.
Why have there been political debacles over this issue for years especially with Bush?
What does this news show us about scientific pregression?
I think that this is a great opportunity for science. I dont think that this is wrong really in any way. THey say that it is killing a potential human life, but if they are just planning to throw them away, then that is killing a life too. So I dont understand why this topic is making such a fuss. I mean, even if they are wasting a life, at least they are helping one too. They are doing something porductive with it, rather than just throwing it away. This could completely turn around lives of patients who have spinal injury. Giving someone the ability to walk again, in my opinion, is way better than just throwing away useful stem cells.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with Sarah. I don't think of it as being wrong considering that they are "killing" cells not people. It goes along the same lines as the abortion issue of whether or not an embryo is a person. The reason they are making such a fuss about it is because they consider conception to be the beginning of life instead of birth. I can see where I would have some issues if it was a fetus and the cells had specialized, but at this point they haven't so it's a really just cells rather than human life. It can't function yet and it doesn't even have organs so I don't see how they could justify it as a life. I just see it as being on the same plane as abortions and I really think that no one can say it quite as well as this scholarly source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TBGt5K0s8c
ReplyDeleteI agree with both Sarah and Alison. And I would also like to bring up the point that not only is it a great tool for furthering scientific research and discovery, but people are treating these embryos like they are theirs. I feel as though it should be completely up to the woman who should decide whether or not to even give them to contribute in the first place. In my standpoint, I would have no problem giving up embryos, it is not a developed fetus or human life in any way, so it is not truly killing anything. It is taking an opportunity for life away, but there are several other embryos that could be fertilized.
ReplyDeleteThis is wonderful news, a great breakthrough for science and for anyone who may get hurt. maybe they can evolve this technology to help other parts of the body heal. I don't find anything wrong at all with stem cell technology. the embryos were going to be thrown out, why not just honor them by putting them to amazing use?
ReplyDeleteMost of the issues around stem cell research are based around a religious point of view, that it is wrong to use theis embrios because they possibly could have been life. This makes no sense because the embrios would be thrown away anyways, why deny people a new chance at life just because if they weren't going to be thrown away they would be life...but they were going to be thrown away.
ReplyDeleteI personally am very happy to hear that Obama made this legal because why not risk a life to save a life. Especially when the one life even really a life yet. If that makes any since. I see it as if we can make a difference in hundreds of peoples lives just by using embryonic cells that would have died anyway then why not? The world would be such a better place if we learned to sue things that we already have at our disposal.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that these embryos were going to be thrown away anyway and people want to use them to help others isn't what worries me about stem cell research. What worries me about stem cell research is that if it is successful, and starts by using these embryos, it could potentially encourage the use of more and more embryos, which to me would be very wrong if it got to the point where people were producing them just for stem cell research...to me it seems awful to bring a life into this world just to use it for someone else's gain. I see where everyone would supports stem cell research is coming from, and it would be great to help people who are disabled, but I do not feel this is the way.
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