Poll: Stem cell research
- Thread starter Professor James
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Stem Cell research is fundamentally a good thing. The only controversy among certain people is in collecting these cells from embryos. As it happens, you can also get stem cells from the umbilical cord while delivering a child, or from the surface of the brain. I'd like to see stem cells collected routinely whenever brain surgery is performed and whenever children are delivered in a hospital.
Also:
Fry: Fetal stem cells? Aren't those controversial?
Professor Farnsworth: In your time, yes, but nowadays?shut up! Besides, these are adult stem cells, harvested from perfectly healthy adults whom I killed for their stem cells.
Also:
Fry: Fetal stem cells? Aren't those controversial?
Professor Farnsworth: In your time, yes, but nowadays?shut up! Besides, these are adult stem cells, harvested from perfectly healthy adults whom I killed for their stem cells.
Wow... I know this thread hasn't been up for very long but we're at 100% pro so far.
I'm for it because it's pretty much the only way we're ever going to get to true regenerative medicine, and how we're going to get out of this claptrap system of organ donorship. Personally, I'd much rather have a liver/kidney/heart that's the same as my old one on a genetic level, that will last me more than 10 years (at a stretch), and won't require me to be on a cocktail of immunosuppressant drugs for the rest of my life to keep my immune system from EATING THE DAMN THING.
Not to mention its use for less drastic situations. OP's mention of burn gun is a good example. Similar techniques can also be used to regrow bladders and other less-vital organs.
I know that some of the avenues by which stem cells might be acquired for research are dubious, but stem cell-based medicine has so much power to both save lives and improve the quality of life of so many people that I'm willing to accept a little moral ambiguity if we can get to the point where such techniques are widely available.
I'm for it because it's pretty much the only way we're ever going to get to true regenerative medicine, and how we're going to get out of this claptrap system of organ donorship. Personally, I'd much rather have a liver/kidney/heart that's the same as my old one on a genetic level, that will last me more than 10 years (at a stretch), and won't require me to be on a cocktail of immunosuppressant drugs for the rest of my life to keep my immune system from EATING THE DAMN THING.
Not to mention its use for less drastic situations. OP's mention of burn gun is a good example. Similar techniques can also be used to regrow bladders and other less-vital organs.
I know that some of the avenues by which stem cells might be acquired for research are dubious, but stem cell-based medicine has so much power to both save lives and improve the quality of life of so many people that I'm willing to accept a little moral ambiguity if we can get to the point where such techniques are widely available.
I'm not against stem cell research itself, but apparently most of the stem cells used in it come from embryos. I'm opposed to using these for stem cell research for the same reason I am opposed to abortion; though it is not yet a living human, if left undisturbed it would almost certainly grow to be a human. Therefore, aborting it is depriving it of life. I am morally opposed to this as I believe every human has the right to life. However, I know my viewpoint isn't shared by most so I don't tend to express it often.
I will admit that I am not that familiar with stem cell research though. If there is some way to acquire significant amounts of stem cells without using aborted fetuses then I would in no way oppose stem cell research. Stem cells themselves are fine, it's when you kill a future life to get them that bothers me.
EDIT: Seems like I'm the only one against it. Can't say I'm surprised by that.
I will admit that I am not that familiar with stem cell research though. If there is some way to acquire significant amounts of stem cells without using aborted fetuses then I would in no way oppose stem cell research. Stem cells themselves are fine, it's when you kill a future life to get them that bothers me.
EDIT: Seems like I'm the only one against it. Can't say I'm surprised by that.
Without trying to start a flame war, I will just point out that it isn't using any aborted fetus' at all. They are not taken from a fertiziled egg out of a woman's body. It's done via in vitro fertilization, think plastic culture dish. If left on it's own, both the eggs and sperm would die never having reached each other. Though I can understand why you may still feel unhappy about it. I won't push you on that (just trying to make sure no one goes the "it's killing a fetus" argument ive seen a lot of before). However I will point out there is another type of stem cell, the Adult stem cell where no use of preimplantation-stage embryo's are needed, I would be interested to know what you think of research in this area. Would you be agaisnt that?Internet Kraken said:
I cant help but think its selfish to waste something that would otherwise have been destroyed. I would like to hear a reasonable argument against stem cell research that is not based on "every life is sacred" or any religious bias. Firstly as many of you know people can be horrible horrible beings most of the time. Lastly, religion should not deprive those who do not believe in their message from valuable medical research.
Stem cells can be taken from the Umbilical cord [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adult_stem_cell#Neural_stem_cells]. Unfortunately many people who oppose stem cells are unaware that they can be taken from something other than an embryo and generally oppose stem cells as a whole (I'm not saying that you are but I know many people who hate all stem cells).Internet Kraken said:
So long as an aborted fetus is not used I'm not against it. Like I said, I really don't know much about the science of stem cells. All I really have to go on is how it is typically portrayed in the media, and it is almost always shown to be using aborted fetuses as the primary source for stem cells. That is what I am opposed to. Otherwise I'm all for it, since I understand it has a lot of benefits.TheDist said:
Wait wait wait wait. There is more than one kind of "stem cell research." Asking such a question is like asking "are you pro or anti gas?" It isn't definitive enough. Are you asking adult or embryonic, because there is a vast difference.
Adult human stem cell is safe harvesting of stem cells from an adult's body which has proven to be nearly miraculous in it's applications. I am fully for this.
Embryonic stem cells have yet to show any significant medical advancement that is not completely outstripped by adult stem cell research. As such, it has so far been an incredible waste of time and money, and signs are showing that it will most likely continue to be that way, so in practical terms, I'm against.
Also, the idea of growing zygotes to form stem cells isn't my cup of tea.
I see a lot of people are saying basically "Religion is making you do stupid things" and that saddens me, because it really shows a complete lack of understanding, or a complete lack of care towards the understanding of the religious argument against embryonic stem cell research. It shows also the total immaturity of people who just blindly bash religion as being worthless or idiotic, because it's cool to do so.
EDIT: Just a note, the two examples given by the OP were of Adult stem cells. Just pointing that out as evidence for my arguments.
Adult human stem cell is safe harvesting of stem cells from an adult's body which has proven to be nearly miraculous in it's applications. I am fully for this.
Embryonic stem cells have yet to show any significant medical advancement that is not completely outstripped by adult stem cell research. As such, it has so far been an incredible waste of time and money, and signs are showing that it will most likely continue to be that way, so in practical terms, I'm against.
Also, the idea of growing zygotes to form stem cells isn't my cup of tea.
I see a lot of people are saying basically "Religion is making you do stupid things" and that saddens me, because it really shows a complete lack of understanding, or a complete lack of care towards the understanding of the religious argument against embryonic stem cell research. It shows also the total immaturity of people who just blindly bash religion as being worthless or idiotic, because it's cool to do so.
EDIT: Just a note, the two examples given by the OP were of Adult stem cells. Just pointing that out as evidence for my arguments.
I'm all for the research. Especially if it's not really causing anyone harm. There's also talk of things being done with unbilical cords, and I don't see what that shouldn't be done either. I'm all for using things to help people, especially since the whole religion argument is BS in the US anyway considering the separation of church and state, but that's just me.
i was orginally against stem cell reasearch because it used fetuses, but now that they finding ways to use it without fetuses (such as fat cells and skin cell ect.) i'm totally for it.
im not a extreme conservative or anything, fetus use as such just creeps me the fuck out.
im not a extreme conservative or anything, fetus use as such just creeps me the fuck out.
Unaligned, because everyone I know who sticks their oar in on it turns into a terrifying monstrosity who attempts to maim anyone who disagrees with them.
I'm all for non-fetus stem cell research, though...
I'm all for non-fetus stem cell research, though...