U.S. support for embryos in stem cell work What do you think?

Question

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20070620/tsc-uk-bush-stemcells-donors-011ccfa.html

Answer 1

It is very important, stem cell research can lead to the cure for cancer and other diseases. But they should restrict their research to other embryos besides human embryos. But I doubt they are able to do that now, because of the vast differences in genetic material between different species.

Answer 2

If we may find a cure for respriratory disease/ HIV etc by purposely killing & studying a human that reached the 40th week of gestation, would that be right? Because the fact is it's the same thing. A human is a human, we have emotion etc. you can not gurantee me that it's not there from day 1 fertilisation IE day 1 of our existance, because logically it is. I believe in years to come, we will realise this & look back with regret/disgust at what we allowed to happen. Unfortunately what's done is done & don't bank on a time machine being invented to undo our wrongs.

Some things we will never cure & unfortunately it is natures way of keeping our population under control. By eliminating it, nature will only find another way. We should spend more time/money preventing the pain humans cause to one another, deliberately even before we are born such as this & abortion. Educate people better & try to eliminate our self centred streak that makes us want to do things like this, that causes killing. We are lucky enough to be a species that understands others other than ourself are capable of feeling pain etc. we know dead is forever. Yet we still do things like this, it makes me ashamed. I wouldn't even kill a land animal. Yet there are humans out their killing their own kind! Obviously experimenting on animals & their embryos will never yield acurate results to compare with humans & is useless. Should never happen either.

Phsically it's best for humans to live on their own & never see another human. To prevent such things as germs etc. being passed on & mutating. Doesn't mean we will ever do that though does it. It's always a one way standard, whatever suits us & sod you attitude.

WE DO NOT HAVE THE RITE TO KILL, ESPECIALLY NOT THE BLATENTLY INNOCENT, WHATEVER THE REASON, FULL STOP!

Erica, I'm actually against IVF, when it's done to create dozens/many eggs & if as a result many are then fertilised. Because when fertilised THEY ARE HUMAN. And I already knew they just got thrown away as clinical waste. Another example of this sick world, people just don't care anymore! In fact the humans 'embryos' should not be there to be used in this way to start with. When consent is given to undergo IVF the consequences of extra embryos being created should be taken into consideration. Donation to other couples, if the human can't be frozen until a better time, should be mandatory. And a maximum of only 2 embryos should ever be put back, to stop doctors recomending reduction IE murder of the humans.

ps I'm not insensitive, some people say infertility is one of natures ways of population control. But I believe it's a humans right to pro-create & I do understand the need that can drive some to suicide if unatainable.

Answer 3

Claire, when was the last time you felt ashamed by people using in vitro fertilization to get pregnant? Chances are you never have. But did you know that they throw away thousands of excess embryos yearly?

Embryonic stem cell research should be funded. These embryos are presently just being thrown away. These are the embryos scientists want, not aborted embryos that pro-life activists want people to believe. We might as well be saving lives instead of filling up biohazard bins since those embryos are "potential human beings" and people think it's disgusting to be destroying a number of cells that have that potentiality. I'm not saying I'm pro-choice, abortion is actually a touchy subject to me, but if they are being thrown out, that's worst than being used to cure diseases.

What is the potentiality of an embryo becoming a human being in a trash can? 0.

Answer 4

Oooh. Loaded question.

Right - the article gives most of the arguments:
The embryos would just be thrown away anyway, so are never going to become a full adult.
Stem cells are crucial for research into severely debilitating and deadly diseases, like Huntingdon's disease, multiple sclerosis, and many others.
There is no question of using embroys without the patients' (parents') consent.

So - how would this be different from the situation where a child has tragically died, and his/her parents decide to allow his/her organs to be used for donation?

As you might have guessed - I am pro stem cell research. Though, obviously, we *do* need to be careful around issues of this sensitivity.

That said - I don't live in the US.

Answer 5

Who cares ?

If you want to know what's cooking, go see what the Chinese are up to.

Answer 6

excuse the pun but its all in its infancy
wait til this research, trial and practice gets into adulthood
and see what chaos ensues....

Answer 7

totally agree, its the only way for technology to develop, and to gain a better understanding of biology

Answer 8

yes. but only under STRICT conditions.