Biology Forums - Study Force

Should researchers have access to embryonic stem cells, or only adult stem cells? What is your reasoning?

Of course they should have access to embryonic stem cells.  If its socially and morally acceptable for women to kill more embryos in vain attempts to get preg after their body clearly and loudly said no, then it is most definatly ok for scientists to use the embryos they left for dead in research that could help many people live better lives.

Yes, adult stem cell research has made tons of progress.  I myself have had adult stem cell treatment (I had a hematopoetic stem cell transplant).  However, who knows what embryonic stem cells could do?

I also think it is unfair that people say embryonic stem cells havnt given results yet.  Do you know it was something like 40 years between the discovery that bone marrow was hematopoetic stem cells and the first hematopoetic stem cell transplant??  If it took 40 years to make any kind of progress with adult stem cells, I dont think its fair to call embryonic stem cell research over in less than 10, ESPECIALLY when there are more embryos being killed daily that could be used with the research.  Stopping embryonic stem cell research today would not stop embryos from being destroyed.

Some people ask if it would have been ok for Hitler to do experiments on the Jews after he killed them.  HUGE differences between those situations.  First and foremost, embryos are NOT humans.  They have no distinct organs, they have no heart, they have no feeling and they no consciousness.  The are less than 14 days old.  If they were in a live woman, she wouldnt even know she was preg yet.  It is a total misconception that these stem cells come from aborted babies and that women are paid to get preg and have abortions.  Not even close to true.  However, even if this research did come from abortions, if it is legal for me to have an abortion and take the remains home for burial, you CANT say its illegal for me to have a legal abortion and then donate the remains to research.  You just cant.

Further more...  Its a cliche and over used question, but...  If there was a fire, and you had to choose between saving one baby, and a container of a million embryos, which one are you going to save?  NO one would go after the container of a million embryos, they would ALL go after the baby without a second thought about it.

i would say human but that is only bc everytime i think of ppl using embryotic stems cells for research i have a flashback of that one south park episode where superman was eating embryos