Stem Cell Research Pros and Cons

Stem cell research is a promising but also controversial form of research that involves using human stem cells to treat and/or cure many common genetic diseases as well as potentially reverse spinal cord damage.  There many ethical concerns regarding stem cell research, as the most easy to manipulate stem cells are those taken from embryos very early in their development – roughly 6 to 8 days post conception.  While human embryos at this stage are a far cry from viability, critics of stem cell research argue that destroying them to harvest the unspecialized stem cells (for the embryo does die as a result of the harvesting process) is akin to taking a human life, and therefore the cost of the research is not worth the potential benefits.  There are a few commonly argued stem cell pros and cons that are brought up whenever the subject is debated.

Pros

The fact of the matter is that many genetic ailments have reached epidemic proportions in our modern society.  There are a variety of reasons for this, but arguably human intervention is the biggest culprit.  The fact of the matter is that many of our medical advances have had an impact on natural selection as it pertains to the human race, and humans that never would have survived to reproductive age are now able to not only survive but reproduce.

This means that the very medical progress that we have made as a species may actually be doing more harm than good.  One of the biggest pros with regard to stem cell research pros and cons is that man may have the opportunity to at least partially reduce the damage we have done to our species for future generations with this technology.

Cons

Among the most commonly touted cons with regard to stem cell research pros and cons is the fact that, any way you slice it, destroying an embryo is destroying a genetically unique human that would have developed into a person had gestation continued.  Of course, when stem cell research pros and cons are debated, it is often argued that these lab created (and often cloned) embryos would have not potential of reaching viability.  The other side will tell you that these embryos should never have been created for the sole purpose of simply being destroyed.

Compromise?

Because stem cell research pros and cons involve so many controversial subjects that blur the lines between science and morality and religious beliefs and secular benefit, chances are a happy compromise will not be reached any time in the future.  And while research efforts still continue in many countries the world over, these research efforts are often privately funded.  Those that are publically funded are always heavily monitored and scrutinized.