Is embryological stem cell research ethically right? Does it not sanction abortion?

Question

Stem cells can also be found in very small numbers in various tissues in the adult body.

Answer 1

Yes, it is ethically right to make use of the discarded embryos from In Vitro Fertilization clinics as they have done for years. Would you rather the embryos be sitting in a dumpster or instead saving lives?

Besides stem cell research and abortion are two completely different things, you are confusing the issue.

EDIT: The guy above me is completely wrong...there is no thing as "adult" stem cells. Stem cells are stem cells and adults can't make them...if he knew anything at all about science, he would understand that some partisan politician is word-playing w/ science to move forward an agenda. Stem cells are young cells that are undiffereintiated and can be lung, heart, brain, liver, muscle...whatever and it holds A LOT of promise in treating diseases such as Diabetes, heart disease, Alzhiemers, Cirrohsis, Spinal Cord Injury, Muscular Dystrophy....need I go on. However, the funding isn't there at this point.

Answer 2

Answer from http://www.deathroe.com/Pro-life_Answers/Answers.cfm?ID=79:

"The pro-life movement has never been opposed to responsible medical research. But we also know that there is no more evil or dangerous force on earth than science without morality. Whether fetal tissue research or embryonic stem cell research is morally defensible or not is dependent on how the tissue and cells are obtained. If the material comes from umbilical cords, or placenta, or from babies who died in some natural manner (miscarriage, stillbirth, accident, etc.) few people would raise a moral objection.

However, America crossed the line when it began using parts taken from babies who were intentionally killed by abortion, and we obliterated the line when we began creating human life for the stated purpose of destroying it and using it in medical experiments.

Imagine that a team of researchers developed a drug that would cure cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. This miracle drug is produced from a chemical found in healthy people between 15 and 55 years old and the amount needed to treat the entire country would require only about 500 donors per year. Additionally, clinical trials proved that the drug was 100% effective and perfectly safe.

The only downside is that harvesting this chemical always kills the donor. So the issue becomes, given that millions of people could be saved, should we create a national lottery to select 500 people a year to be killed to make the drug? Out of a population of millions, each individual’s chances of being selected are tiny and some would have died from accidents or illness anyway. Besides, a certain number of them would not have led productive lives.

So why not sacrifice a handful of these people every year in order to save millions from the horror of cancer, heart disease and diabetes? All we have to do is be willing to say that where the chemical comes from is irrelevant, which is precisely what some people are currently saying about fetal tissue research and embryonic stem cell research.

Don’t for a moment think that the hypothetical situation above is far-fetched. If we could go back 50 years and tell people what’s happening right now in the field of medical research and bio-technology, they would call us insane. They would never believe that the things we see happening every day all around us would ever be tolerated in this country. And only a fool would think this is anything other than the tip of the iceberg.

Some people try to rationalize embryonic stem cell research by suggesting that it is a way to “make something good” come from abortion. They argue that these children are already dead and are going to be discarded whether we exploit them or not. The moment we buy into that philosophy, we become no different than the Nazi thugs who stole the gold fillings from the teeth of Jews they killed in their concentration camps.

The fact is, it is morally repugnant that we intentionally slaughter these innocent unborn children in the first place, and when we rob their graves trying to make our lives better, we disgrace ourselves even further. So, if the question is whether we should “discard” these dead babies instead of using them in medical experiments designed to benefit us, the answer is an unqualified yes. We have no right to profit from our own evil."

See also: http://www.lifeissues.org/cloningstemcell/index.html

Answer 3

Most people that give opinions on this subject are woefully short on facts. First, the embryos that are used in embryonic stem cell research are embryos that were created for invitro fertilization. They are extra embryos that will simply be thrown away. If you don't believe me, DO THE RESEARCH. Now, you tell me, what is more ethical.....to throw away hundreds of thousands of embryos or use them to try and find a cure for diabetes, parkinson's disease, or a number of other horrible diseases.
Just GOOGLE Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Where do they come from
This research DOES NOT sanction abortion. Those opposed to it sanction the waste of life.

Answer 4

Using medical technology to save lives---What's wrong with that?
I'm sure folks aren't deciding to create a fetus for the sole purpose of having an abortion to harvest stem cells. I do not agree with the misguided scenarios above. It may not be a persons own moral belief to allow abortion, but to each his own.

A friend of mine lives and functions normally today due to the surgery he had which corrected nerve tissue in his neck through the use of stem cells.

Answer 5

No, embryonic SC research is ethically and morally wrong, It has also not shown any promise whatsoever, the only promising research on stem cells has been done with Adult stem cells. IF one needed those types of cells, they are available from the umbilical cord, and also from amniotic fluid. The only reson to claim otherwise is to promote abortion. I am a firm believer in using medical technology to better peoples lives, but Embryonic stem cell research has not, and shows no promise of doing so. Bad Science.

Answer 6

I just cannot understand why opponents of stem cell research aren't out picketing fertility clinics, which destroy ten times the amount of embryos than any abortion clinic terminates pregnancies! What part of "they're going to be thrown in the trash" don't you get? Yeah, there are tons of women who deliberately get pregnant just to abort an embryo to be used in research! I don't care that anything substantial hasn't been discovered yet - it is the most promising route in a while. I know plenty of people who could use a medical miracle that one discovery could lead to!

Oh yeah, I know why you're not out picketing - it's rich, white Republican women who are using in vitro to have their passle of rich white babies. Can't have anyone upsetting the base, can we?

Answer 7

Yes it sanctions abortions. You have a women get pregnant, kill the baby and remove the stem cells. Abortion is still legal (unfortunately). Even though embryonic stem cells have NOT shown any promise of anything, the liberals keep pushing it. Adult stem cells have more going for it than embryonic stem cells.

Answer 8

There are several points here.....If they could find some thing good from it then I would say yes...however, most results have come from adult stem cells.....so why continue with the others....

however,

It does not sanction abortion....abortions is legal....not that I agree with it, but it is legal....and it happens. I hope that abortion is outlawed someday but until then...the only thing that happens to those babies is they get destroyed...why not use the cells for potential good.....

Answer 9

It doesn't matter. Science has found zero cures using embryonic stem cell research.

Which is why no private companies want to fund it.

Which is why they need government funding.

All cures have come from ADULT stem cell research, which is obvioulsy ethically O.K. Also, it is privately funded, so that's less taxes!

Answer 10

It is just another attempt to condone abortion. If they can convince people that their are medical benefits to embryonic stemcell research, then they can say "See, abortions are good, look at all the people we are helping with these stemcells". The only problem is, millions of babies are having to die for this research, and there has been NO proven benefit from it yet.