Currently, the advance in technology has led to the curing of many ailments. The advent of stem cell research has raised the expectation of many doctors and scientists in treating patients who have endured suffering or passed on because of the ailments that were termed as “incurable” some years back. Stem cells are able to build up to form mature specialized body cells.
Stem cells are present in embryos at the initial developmental stages, in fetal tissues, and occasionally in a number of adult tissues. Scientists have been able to show that by the use of stem cell technology, organisms are able to build up from a single cell and that cells in good physical shape are able to restore injured cells in mature organisms. However, the lack of adequate funding from the government has deteriorated the efforts of scientists and doctors in undertaking stem cell research.
From the time when the initial isolation of embryonic stem cells took place in 1998, stem cell research has emerged to be a breakthrough in scientific investigation and has raised a lot of public debate on its use in curing patients (Korobkin and Munzer, 3). All through this period, the U.S. government has approved what is considered as the worst restraining policy towards this technology by declining to offer financial support to the researchers.
A number of government officials maintain that the individuals encouraging stem cell research are becoming deceitful in making known this hope in medical science to the public and assert that adequate proof for the sustainability of this research is lacking. On the other hand, this is in itself deceitful because individuals, who do not meet the criteria, make such false statements. Scientists, who are the authority in the field, have said that the implementation of stem cell research would bring huge benefits to the human race.
Many individuals who are against government spending make their claim that stem cell research will lead to the obliteration of human life. The religious communities say that life starts at conception, although the embryos used in this research are mainly the leftover ones kept in fertility clinics that ultimately would be thrown away, and oppose the use of such embryos. They maintain that embryonic life is holy and important to the persistence of our lives in this world.
For that reason, antagonists are faithfully unwilling to give up embryonic life, not considering the immense benefits it may bring to the medical field. They conclude that the investigation is equivalent to homicide since it is unnatural and results in the loss of embryonic life.
Therefore, do we continue seeing our loved ones die of incurable diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, heart conditions, cancer, arthritis, and many others simply because stem cell research is unnatural? Scientists ought to be given adequate funds to find treatments for these diseases (Lensch, 269). Moreover, who knows, maybe one day we can live in a disease-free world thanks to funding accorded to stem cell research.
The use of stem cells can bring many benefits to people in this world. The world is in dire need of treatment for serious medical conditions that are incurable. Although the present political temperature and absence of Government funding may be a major setback, we should continue to raise our voices to ensure the success of this research and save thousands of lives.
Works Cited
Korobkin, Russell, and Stephen, Munzer. Stem cell century: law and policy for a breakthrough technology. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2007. Print.
Lensch, William. Stem Cells for Dummies. Hoboken: John Wiley, 2008. Print.