The issue of embryonic stem cell research has always been pretty big for me. I find it so hard to fathom how people could turn their backs on a science that with a little more development and study has the potential to help those afflicted with numerous diseases and conditions. I understand the political, ethical and scientific dilemmas (which I will go into in later posts) that encompass embryonic stem cell research. Regardless, there are so many ways these cells can be used to heal people.
For those who do not know much about embryonic research or need a refresher, the University of Wisconsin-Madison has set up a helpful website here. They also do a nice job of setting up the necessity for embryonic stem cell research:
“Why are embryonic stem cells important?
Embryonic stem cells are of great interest to medicine and science because of their ability to develop into virtually any other cell made by the human body. In theory, if stem cells can be grown and their development directed in culture, it would be possible to grow cells of medical importance such as bone marrow, neural tissue or muscle.”
According to the National Institutes of Health, stem cells have the potential of helping people suffering from Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, diabetes, spinal cord injuries, and osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Just looking at the first four listed, that’s 5 million Alzheimer’s suffers, 1.5 million for Parkinson’s, 250,000 people suffering from SPIs and 20.8 million people suffering from diabetes. Added all together and you get more than 27.5 million Americans suffering from four conditions. For some perspective, if you were to added up the populations of the states who still have baseball teams in the playoffs (Arizona, Colorado, Massachusetts and Ohio) you get a number--28.8 million--a little more than a million more to that of people suffering from these four.
Those opposed to embryonic stem cells turn to adult stem cells as an alternative. Adult stem cells however are very limited in their uses. Earlier this year we heard that new technologies would allow scientists to take stem cells from unfertilized eggs. But, as mentioned by the Center for American Progress, that new research is as not hopeful as it would appear. "This breakthrough technology has great potential, but also some serious limitations that make it not viable as a replacement for embryonic stem cell research."
I've tried to set up the urgency of research for embryonic stem cells. Later this week I will post Part B where I will go into the ethical and political arguments for both sides. Who will win? Who will lose? You’ll have to wait until the follow-up for those answers...and more (see, I too can write in a Dan Brown-esq way).
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1 comment:
I couldn't agree with you any more, but then again I am a scientist and possibly understand this more than the pro-life people. You might want to mention in the next blog that it wouldn't really be that difficult to obtain a large quantity of embryos for scientific research. Every year, there are thousands (possibly hundreds of thousands-I'm not sure of the exact number) of embryos discarded in the trash from IVF clinics because they're clients no longer had a use for them. Instead of just throwing them in the trash, where they'll die anyways, you could put them to good use to save the lives of those who running out of time and hope.
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