Stem Cell Research is a topic which has been, and still is, hotly debated around the world. It has proved to be very controversial in the eyes of some. Yet for others, it is a necessary step towards finding a cure for many diseases which have caused much suffering to many people, including Parkinson's disease and cancer. Embryonic stem cell research requires the extraction of an egg from a female donor. Although this, in the eyes of some people, is equivalent to 'killing' the embryo, it is a necessary evil, and it is the best way forward to cure many fatal diseases.
Stem cell research has not been perfected yet. However, when an embryonic stem cell is implanted into the body, it does not only fix a problem, it also replaces cells in the body which also have the same problem. According to Elizabeth Cohen, a CNN medical correspondent, this makes stem cells more valuable than ordinary drugs. Thus scientists have been increasing their efforts to perfect the implantation of stem cells, instead of developing the medicines used currently. Embryonic stem cell research should be further researched on and improved, so that cures for diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's can be found.
However, some readers (including you) might be thinking that the fact that an embryo is being 'killed' is more pertinent than the development of scientific and medicinal technologies. You might say that embryonic stem cell research goes against the very ethics of life. However, I believe strongly against this opinion. The embryo that is being so-called 'killed' is actually being used to potentially save another person's life. Another person is being saved from diseases like cancer. It is not just a case of tit-for-tat. The social, economic and personal costs that are faced if embryonic stem cell is not used, are far greater than the cost of killing one embryo.
Another viewpoint is that there are other alternatives to using embryonic stem cells to treat diseases. Other methods, such as using adult stem cells, have been put forward. Parties which support using adult stem cells over embryonic stem cells do indeed have a point. It has been shown that adult stem cells produce better results than embryonic stem cells. However, embryonic stem cells help cure more diseases than adult stem cells. Also, advances in embryonic stem cell research will come with more time, and breakthroughs in it cannot be predicted. Thus, embryonic stem cells should be promoted instead of adult stem cells.
Although embryonic stem cell research is not as easy to develop as adult stem cell research, the potential benefits that can be obtained through the development of embryonic stem cells far outweigh the disadvantages. Many more diseases can be cured through embryonic stem cell usage. Sacrifices will have to be made, for the greater good of mankind. Maybe pro-life supporters should consider that while they intend that one embryo not be 'killed', they agree to let many other people, who suffer from terminal diseases, lose their lives.
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