Essay Government Funding of Stem Cell Research - 775 Words

In the 2004 presidential election, one of the most controversial issues facing voters was the battle over embryonic stem cell research. In the weeks leading up to the election, polls were indicating that 47 percent of Bush supporters agreed that the destruction of embryo cells is unethical; however, 53 percent of Bush voters supported stem cell research. The overwhelming majority of Kerry backers also supported stem cell research, indicating that the majority of American voters support stem cell research. Embryonic stem cell research, while still in its infancy, has the potential to treat or perhaps even cure more than 100 million people suffering from a variety of illnesses and conditions. Scientists agree that stem cells could be one†¦show more content†¦In an October 25, 2004 Newsweek article, researcher Dr. Susan Fisher states, the infusion of private money is indispensable, but it will never fill the gaps in funding created by federal restrictions. In the same New sweek article, Nobel Prize winner Dr. Peter Agre argues, relying on private money is like saying we could open the public schools from 10 to 10:15, but you are welcome to send your kids to private school. History tells us that there are positive advantages to the governments involvement in treating human diseases. Federal funding hastened the development of polio vaccine as well as many other vaccines to prevent communicable diseases. An editorial for the Life Sciences Institute written by Richard Lempert and Jack Dixon in 2001 states, what is clear is the fact that without federal funding the progress of understanding the properties of stem cells will be much slower. Given the current public opinion surveys on the subject of stem cell research, one may argue that many citizens feel there is a need to accelerate progress rather than impede it. Many scientists believe that federal funding is also critical to ensure the oversight that will be necessary for expanding stem cell research. There are those who believe that the possibility of abuse and public safety concerns are real and vastly understated inShow MoreRelatedResearch On Stem Cell Research1582 Words   |  7 Pagesis beginning to fall behind in its advancement in research compared to the rest of the world due, to the lack of federal funding. One advancement which creates conflicts and dilemmas is stem cell research. The conflicts are specific types of stem cells are unethical and not morally right to research on, but not all stem cells are this way. Stem cell research is the study of different types of stem cells and their possible clinical uses. Stem cells can be developed to act as treatments for differentRead MoreThe Use Of Embryonic Stem Cells In Medicine1472 Words   |  6 Pagesdisease? Embryonic Stem Cells can be used to treat many different diseases, but some people have their opinion that using these stem cells in medicine is unethical because they are coming from a human embryo. There are countries that have banned the use of embryonic stem cells in medicine, and in America there are people arguing that it should be banned here. But what about all of the lives that these stem cells are saving, what if research continues and these embryonic stem cells end up being a cureRead More Stem Cell Research Essay1316 Words   |  6 PagesStem Cell Research What is a Stem Cell? Stems cells are immature cells found in embryos that can develop into any kind of specialized cells. They can form virtually any cell of the human body. These types of stem cells are known as pluripotent cells. Multipotent cells are stem cells that are more mature; they can be found in adults and children. Multipotent cells are not as flexible as pluripotent cells, as they have already developed into more specialized human cells. Benefits of StemRead MoreThe Controversial Topic of Stem-Cell Research in the United States993 Words   |  4 PagesStem cell research is a fairly controversial topic in the United States. Stem cells are cells that have the potential to become certain types of cells throughout a human body. There are a few types of stem cells, which are embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells, and induced pluripotent stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are the most controversial due to the manner from which they are obtained. Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent cells gathered from the inner cell mass of a blastocyst, which is anRead MoreThe Debate Over Stem Cell Research1507 Words   |  7 PagesStem cells have become one of the largest and controversial research fields in the Department of Regenerative Medicine. They are often referred to as the â€Å"building blocks of nature† due to their ability to transform into any type of cell in the human body. The controversy behind the use of stem cel ls is the possible chance that stem cells can regenerate organs, and cure life-threatening diseases. This topic has been publicly discussed among scientists and healthcare professionals. There are differentRead MoreThe Government Has Not Funded Stem Cell Research1566 Words   |  7 PagesThe government has not funded stem cell research since 2001 for various reasons, some understandable, others I have to disagree on. I believe stem cell research should be funded by the government because it will advance our knowledge on how to treat and cure certain diseases. Many people, researchers and scientist included, strongly agree that we cannot continue our knowledge and technological advancement without the support of our own government. Stem cells are special cells that have the abilityRead MoreFederal Funds Should Be Used for Embryonic Stem Cell Research1401 Words   |  6 PagesAre embryonic stem cells the cure to many of the human body’s ailments, including defective organs and crippling diseases, or is their use a blatant disregard of human rights and the value of life?   Thanks to the rapid advancements in this field, the potential benefits of stem cells are slowly becoming reality.   However, embryonic stem cell research is an extremely divisive topic in the United States thanks to the ethical issues surrounding terminating embryos to harvest the stem cells.   In responseRead MoreEmbryonic Stem Cells Pros And Cons1664 Words   |  7 Pagesresearchers have been studying the miraculous potential of human embryonic stem cells. Human embryonic stem cells, also known as hESC, have the ability to develop into any kind of specialized cells in the human body, ranging from as simple as a skin cell to as complex as a neuron. This â€Å"miracle cure,† however, comes with a great cost; the stem cells have to be extracted from a human embryo, completely destroying it. Research institutions often obtain embryos either from abortion clinics or, most commonlyRead MoreEmbryonic Stem Cell Research Essay1429 Words   |  6 Pagesdisease? Embryonic Stem Cells can be used to treat many different diseases, but some people have their opinion that using these stem cells in medicine is unethical because they are coming from a human embryo. There are countries that have banned the use of embryonic stem cells in medicine, and in America there are people arguing that it should be banned here. But what about all of the lives these stem cells are saving, what if research continues and these embryonic stem cells end up being a cureRead MoreThe Debate Over Embryonic Stem Cell Research1652 Words   |  7 PagesEmbryonic stem cell research could one day hold the key to many new scientific discove ries if it is continuously funded in the years to come. I chose to base my research around the question, Should embryonic stem cell research be government funded? When I finish highschool I hope to pursue a career in the medical field. Although I wish to become a doctor and may not be directly researching stem cells, they may one day be a treatment that I will have to administer to patients. To answer this question