Stem cells- for and against their use in medicine

Created by: FM 1
Created on: 02-04-18 16:24


	Stem cells- for and against their use in medicine
	Advantages Therapeutic cloning involves making the embryo have the same genetic information as you so that it is not rejected by the patients body if used to replace faulty cells. Adult stem cells are already used to cure disease (e.g. stem cells from bone. marrow of a healthy person can replace faulty blood cells in a person who receives them). The embryos usually used in research are unwanted ones from fertility clinics so would be destroyed anyway. Embryonic cells could make insulin producing cells for people with diabetes or nerve cells for those paralysed by spinal injures. Those who are already suffering should be more important than the rights of an embryo.	Disadvantages Using stem cells from another person means that the genetics won't match up. This may trigger an immune response. Stem cells grown in the lab may become contaminated with a virus, which would be passed onto the patient. Human embryos shouldn't be used for experiments as each is a potential human life. We shouldn't interfere with Gods plan.
	Evaluation I think that overall the use of embryonic stem cells in medicine should be allowed as it has the potential to save many lives and to make the lifes of those suffering from long term illnesses (paralysis and type 1 diabetes) better. I understand that many feel that using stem cells from embryos takes away the potential of life but in most cases the embryonic stem cells used would be destroyed anyway. Thus as therapeutic cloning becomes more advanced and the process becomes for efficient I think that it could save many lives.

Stem cells- for and against their use in medicine

Advantages

Therapeutic cloning involves making the embryo have the same genetic information as you so that it is not rejected by the patients body if used to replace faulty cells.
Adult stem cells are already used to cure disease (e.g. stem cells from bone. marrow of a healthy person can replace faulty blood cells in a person who receives them).
The embryos usually used in research are unwanted ones from fertility clinics so would be destroyed anyway.
Embryonic cells could make insulin producing cells for people with diabetes or nerve cells for those paralysed by spinal injures.
Those who are already suffering should be more important than the rights of an embryo.

Disadvantages

Using stem cells from another person means that the genetics won't match up. This may trigger an immune response.
Stem cells grown in the lab may become contaminated with a virus, which would be passed onto the patient.
Human embryos shouldn't be used for experiments as each is a potential human life.
We shouldn't interfere with Gods plan.

Evaluation

I think that overall the use of embryonic stem cells in medicine should be allowed as it has the potential to save many lives and to make the lifes of those suffering from long term illnesses (paralysis and type 1 diabetes) better. I understand that many feel that using stem cells from embryos takes away the potential of life but in most cases the embryonic stem cells used would be destroyed anyway. Thus as therapeutic cloning becomes more advanced and the process becomes for efficient I think that it could save many lives.

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Stem cells- for and against their use in medicine