Embryonic Stem Cell Federally Funded

Embryonic Stem Cell Federally Funded

Introduction

The pros of stem cell research generally outweigh the cons. Many of the objections against embryonic stem cell research are due to personal beliefs and moral values. Not to mention the people who are uneducated about what it is, they object because they do not have a clear understanding of how much it can benefit us. Stem cell research should not only be accepted, but also federally funded.

Embryonic stem cells are derived from embryos. Specifically, they are derived from embryos that develop from eggs that have been fertilized in a fertilization clinic-they are not derived from eggs fertilized in a woman's body. Stem cells renew themselves for long periods through cell division. They can be induced to become cells with special functions such as cells of the heart muscle or the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas.

The past president George W. Bush opposed a certain bill on July 19th, 2006 called the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005 that would have allowed federal funding for embyonic stem cell research. He stated that the research would be tolerated, but it would not be federally funded. His main reasons for opposing the bill are his moral values and religious beliefs. This is shown in a statement he made explaining his decision, "I...believe human life is a sacred gift from our Creator. I worry about a culture that devalues life, and believe as your President I have an important obligation to foster and encourage respect for life in America and throughout the world. And while we're all hopful about the potential of this research, no one can be certain that the science will live up to the hope it has generated." But what president Bush does not see is the other side, he must not understand that the relief of human suffering is the worthwhile goal from this medical experimentation.

People oppose embryonic stem cell research because it involves destorying embryos. But what many don't know is that the stem cells are derived from embryos less than one week old, and they are not extracted from women, they are created in fertility clinics. People who are against this should consider the rights of an unborn, potential human vs. the needs of all humans with diseases and other health problems that embryonic stem cell research can cure.

Embryos are only potential humans, they are smaller than a grain of sand. They can not see, hear, feel or think. Is it that bad to provide federal funding that will destroy a few embryos for research to save millions of lives by curing diseases and repairing almost any cell-based health problem? I think our country needs to ask this question and seriously consider how selfish we have been by repressing this research because of our personal values.

And seeing as people feel so strongly about not destroying embryos, maybe they should shift their focus to fertility clinics. They discard and reject so many more embryos than stem cell ...