Stem Cell Research?

[subliminal]

I skimmed through the debate forum & haven't found anything on this so, forgive me if it has already been discussed. Some time ago I took a biology class where we were discussing stem cell research. I was just wondering how CB sees it.

Some people don't see a blastocyst as a living organism, so they have no problem with it. People like my parents for example, don't like the idea of humans meddling and saying that it leads to some problems; even though it may also help.

So, for or against?

[KingKong]

For,
although Gattaca (http://imdb.com/title/tt0119177/) portrays one messed up future.

[T_Ichigo]

I'm for it. Stemcells doesn't need to necesseraily be taken from individuals from early stages. Stemcells can, according todays scientific researches, be taken from several places in our own bodies, marrows and muscles are some examples.
Today, one doesn't have to sacrifice what some consider as life as they used to, and hurray for that.

Gattaca is more about DNA and the fittest genes and so on, saw the movie at school with my class, 8/10 from me. :):)

[KingKong]

Yes I give the movie high marks as well.
You're right there is a difference between Gattaca and Stem Cell research, I just felt its all the same general subject.

Personally I never had an issue with cells taken from embryos. The issue I have with this medical field is the risk of cloning people, constructing people and grading people based on their genes. Stem Cell research does play a part in that. So its still spooky.

The more I think about it, the more I think it'll be ok. Society will dictate what is morally acceptable and what isn't, Dr. Frankensteins will always be a curiosity.

[T_Ichigo]

Cloning human beings doesn't necessarily require stemcells.
The most important utilize of stem cells is to cultivate new highly important cells such as heartmuscle-cells as for example. As simple as that.
One could just use the classical cloning process when cloning people and that is to simply inject the DNA of a human being into an empty cell, yeah I won't mention how the whole process work.

Well this thread is about stemcells after all, and I'm still for it.

[Draffut]

Using stemcells for medical reasons such as recreating arms and legs and heart tissue, to save lives and making things like organ donors obsolete is a good thing.

Cloning and genetic alterations to create "perfect" people is anouther matter

[shaberry]

I'm all for stemcell research. As long as there are restrictions. I wouldn't want anyone trying to play "God" and try to create a clone of a human being or anything.

Personally I never had an issue with cells taken from embryos. The issue I have with this medical field is the risk of cloning people, constructing people and grading people based on their genes. Stem Cell research does play a part in that. So its still spooky.

I agree. I don't think there's anything wrong with cells taken from embryos. I mean, there are so many abortions going on now-a-days, you might as well utilize the embryos that the mother's are willing to destroy. Why not let one person's mistake give way to a miracle of saving someone else's life? However, in the case of using stemcells to clone people, I think it's wrong and disturbing.

[KingKong]

Good point on abortions.

It's too bad there is so little interest for this.

So how about this, would it be possible to 'grow' a human brain? I assume so, at first glance it's just another part of the human body, an organ, a heartmuscle... (obviously a lot more complex...)
If that is possible, what would that say about the implications of stem cell research? How would a brain in a jar develop? Could it be used as a super computer?

Again, I am for stem cell research. I just think the subject is not straightforward - citing the possible medical gains is convincing however we should not turn a blind eye to the spooky side of this (and I would use a more accurate word if I knew more about the subject matter).

[Striker-tai]

one it's been proven that embryonic stem cells have resulted in very little if any kind of medical breakthrough, what has in fact is adult stem cells. well over a dozen medical breakthrough's (these aren't DYNAMIC breakthrough's mind you) have been made using these adult stem cells.

[sludgeman]

definitely for stem cell research, at least to find out where it can go and what it can do for us, i personally have no ethical problem with the harvesting of embryos. the benefits of this scientific research seems like it would be insane not to go ahead with it

[II Xion II]

I wouldn't mind science trying to figure out how to cure diseases and experimenting with stem cells and such. Just as long as they don't kill embryos in the process I am all for it!

We haven't had any major breakthroughs with them yet, but hopefully we will some day. I don't know when that day will be, but I really hope it will come soon.

Researchers seem optimistic about the future, relating to stem cell research, hopefully that is a good sign and hopefully we will have some real cures in our hands soon for some debilitating, and right now incurable, diseases.

[Geb]

I wouldn't mind science trying to figure out how to cure diseases and experimenting with stem cells and such. Just as long as they don't kill embryos in the process I am all for it!

unfortunately, they must destroy the embrio in order to get the inner mass cells...
http://img453.imageshack.us/img453/2605/figure1smst5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

(destroying a future life form is unethical but when you think of it, an embryo is less then a week old and has cca 150 cells... so i think i'd approve of embryo stem cells)

but stem cells of the umbilical cord are also nice and quite efficient:)!

[greenmystic]

As someone who has good friend with serious diabetes, and stem cell recearch might lead to curing diabetes, or helping those suffering from it, I'm all for it.

Though it can get VERY tricky when we talk about stem cells from an embryp, but then again I think as long as were not farming people or embryo's I'm all for it. I don't think something should be created just to be destroyed, but if someone let's say is going to get an abortion, one could donate that embryo to science instead of trashing it.

And even though stem cells from different areas in our body and from an umilical cord can be used, the most efficient as easiiy genetically modified are those from an embryo.

Well there's my two cents.

[KT Samurai]

I'm for it. With progress comes some form of sacrifice. Unfortunately, when it comes to health and medicine, risks and sacrifices must be made with lives in order to get anywhere. I'm not saying we should abandon all ethics in the pursuit of healthcare, just that we need to think about the bigger picture once in awhile.

Know how we get seatbelts and airbags to work so well? Monkey. Hundreds of them. Poor little guys.

[Habanero]

It seems that stem cell research is no longer on the unethical side of medical research (at least after a few years). American and japanese scientists have succeeded in making embryonic stem cells from skin cells.

http://www.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUSN2058175020071121

The method won't probably be used for a few years still, but it certainly looks promising.