Custom «Use of Stem Cells in Research and Medicine» Essay Paper Sample

Treatment by use of stem cells is a process that implants new cells into damaged body tissues to treat the prevailing disease or injury into the tissue. Research that has been done on the stem cells has indicated that treatments using them has the potential of changing the occurrence of the disease on humans and may also increase suffering. This has therefore faced a lot of opposition from the scientists and the members of Congress. Stem cells have been used to treat brain damage, hear damage, haematopoiesis, cancer, and injury to the spinal cord among others (Greer, 68).

Use of stem cells has been in the past supported by scientists and congress men following the HR810 which was later lifted by the U.S president. After lifting of HR810, another act HR873 followed. However, the act HR873 has statements which do not fully protect the use of stem cells in medical treatment and scientific research. This is because the protection is limited to stem cells that were donated in excess from the in vitro clinics, those that were not meant for use in any woman and would be thrown away, and where the donors had submitted a written consent. However, these conditions cannot be enough in an act to protect use of stem cells. Instead of use of mature stem cells, the scientists would rather, though not very ethical, use embryonic cells. The difference between stem cells and embryonic cells is that the embryonic cells can be grown in a culture for use in treatment. Stem cells are few and are found in the mature tissues. Extracting them from the mature tissues involves challenging processes. Stem cells cannot also be grown in culture. The process of cell replacement requires a large number of cells which would be easier when they are grown in a cell culture (Sullivan, 169).

There have been uncertainties among the scientists on the use of mature stem cells. This is on issues such as the duration of life that the cells could function in the human body. There have also been ethical concerns over use of stem cells since it is believed that the original genes of the human cells bear the character traits that make up that individual. These uncertainties especially on ethical concerns have also affected the ability of scientists to carry out further research on use of stem cells. This is because for a perfect research that should be approved, it should involve use of humans or animals in the experiments which is against the ethics. This issue has received mixed reactions from the scientists and politicians. The issue should therefore be set for further research before it is voted for. Before proper research has been done, I would advise my congressman to vote against use of stem cells. My stand on the same is against the act until further research has been done and more so which can bring other options apart from use of stem cells.