Ethical Issues Surrounding Stem Cell Research - 4683 Words

Introduction Stem cell research, one of the most exciting and controversial ethical issues in medicine today, continuously makes headlines with new developments. This topic concerns medical professionals, scientists, ethics forums, and even politicians, but many people do not know what to conclude from the controversy surrounding it. Dr. Elizabeth Crouch1, a genetics professor of the Biomedical Science Department of Texas A M University, argues that it is vital that students entering medicine be educated about the ethical issues surrounding stem cell research. She explains: One of the things that you have to decide as an M.D. particularly surrounding stem cell research, is whether or not you support it, and then once you?ve decided that, you need to know both the pros and the cons so that if you had a patient that you were working with, for example an Alzheimer?s patient ? you?d be able to present both sides of the issue, so that they can decide on their own. It is imperative that students who are planning to enter the medical field be well-informed about this issue so that they can begin to develop their own convictions about medical ethics, specifically regarding the stem cell debate. This report defines what stem cells, describes the different types of stem cell research and their potential role in disease therapy, and the presents the ethical controversy surrounding stem cell research. Part 1: What are stem cells? Characteristics AnShow MoreRelatedAdvantages Of Human Embryonic Stem Cells1572 Words   |  7 Pagesand disadvantages of human embryonic stem cells (hESC) for use in cellular therapy The research of human embryonic stem cells (hESC) is talked about a lot in the field of medical research, not just by the scientists, but also by politicians, religious groups, etc. The discovery of stem cells is known as a medical sensation, with its research having the potential to cure many diseases. But there are still ethical issues standing in the way of this research, and due to this, different parts of theRead MorePros And Cons Of Stem Cell Research1003 Words   |  5 PagesFoundations Ethics Stem Cell Research Stem Cell Research Explorable.com 1.6M reads 32 Comments Printer-friendly versionSend by emailPDF version Pros And Cons in Research The debate of the pros and cons of stem cell research clearly illustrate the difficult ethics evaluations researchers sometimes must do. All scientists must consider whether the positive effects from their research are likely to be significantly higher than the negative effects. What are Stem Cells? 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