...Technology Integration: Stem Cell Research HCS/578 May 26, 2012 Linda Bell JD, BSN, RN Technology Integration: Stem Cell Research Stems cells are the building blocks of the human body. Stems cells are valuable because of their capability to develop into other cell types. Studies have been conducted that suggest that stem cell could be used to repair or regenerate damaged organs or tissues and treat an assortment of medical diseases, such as diabetes, or Alzheimer’s along with the development of new medications. Three types of stems cells exist embryonic, adult, and foetal, which are found in human tissue and animals. This paper will highlight ethical dilemmas of stem cell research. It will also stress the effects stem cell research has on global health. The paper will also feature health policies on stem cell research in the United States and how these policies differ from international policies. Ethical Dilemmas Posed by Stem Cell Research Several ethical issues need to be considered on the use of this type of research, such as the safety, legality, and morality of stem cell research. Stem cell research requires the general population to pick among two moral principles. The first one is the obligation of preventing and alleviating suffering and the obligation to respect and value human life. The use of embryos for stem cells research results in “...the destruction of blastocysts formed from laboratory-fertilized human eggs” (Mukhopadhyay, Tokas, & Mathur...
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...Kadeem Y. S. Mc Mahon D01305442 DeVry College of New York LAWS310 – The Legal Environment Professor Steven Maffei Stem Cell Research Essay Majority of the general population knows or has heard something in reference to stem cell research, weather it is from magazine articles or news, at some point in our daily lives we’ve heard the term “Stem Cell Research.” Stem cells due to their controversial nature, has seen numerous changes in the legislation governing its research and the types of stem cells – weather it is fetal, cord, embryonic, etc... – The legislation affecting stem cells can determine where the U.S. stands on this ground breaking research. According to Lanza, A simple definition for stem cells is as follows “a stem cell is a cell that has the potential to develop into a number of different types of cells in the body.” (2011). Basically, stem cells are the base of all organs and tissues in the human body, a master cell of some sort. Stems cell, also have the potential be the backbone of many medical breakthroughs in centuries to come, from age prevention to helping with disabilities such as blindness, inability to walk, etc... As mention earlier in this paper there are many types of stem cells, but for purpose of this paper I shall focus on adult & embryonic stem cells. An adult stem cell is an undifferentiated cell that is found amongst differentiated cells in an organ or tissue that processes the ability to renew itself, as well as differentiate into...
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...material has become common place in our society. What was once the dream of science fiction authors and fans has become reality. Such topics as stem cell research, in vitro fertilization, and cloning have created quite a stir in scientific communities. However, these advancements do not come without a cost, or without ethical dilemmas. First, a definition of these terms is required. Following that, we will explore some topics and the ethics associated with them. Stem cells exist in all living things. These cells go on to either produce more stem cells or specialize to become different types of living tissue. Stem cells can be broken down into two main classifications, embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Embryonic stem cells, as the name would imply, are only found in developing embryos. These cells are the most versatile. On the other hand, adult stem cells are only able to transform into a select few types of tissue. (Bongso & Lee, 2005) In vitro fertilization involves the fertilization of an oocyte outside of the female reproductive system. Fertilization occurs in a Petri dish, after which time the embryo is reintroduced into a female uterus where it is allowed to implant and develop. (Seibel, 2008) Cloning is a scientific method of producing an offspring that is genetically identical to the parent. In cloning, only one parent is required, therefore it is considered to be asexual reproduction. (Rugnetta, 2012) All of these technologies are exciting and hold great...
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...Reflection Paper Abstract Over the years, the progress in biotechnology has given rise to many ethical as well as social reactions from the public opinion, non-governmental organization, and the media. This paper aims at providing some insights into this dilemmas, ethical concerns, and the tradeoffs which have been expressed concerning biotechnology over the last decade. It will focus on a few major objects from different sectors that have raised the general attention. A large part of the public opinion agrees and is optimistic about the ability of biotechnology to help and change the quality of life. However, there are visible differences that have been pointed out by global support that aims at moderating the biotechnology use. The Reasoning of Opposing Perspective on Ethical Issues within the Field of Biomedicine The regulation and development of biotechnology has triggered many discussions from various academic fields like the law, economics, politics, and even the history. Specifically, however, the science of genetic engineering of plants, animals, human beings, and all living cells has brought about ethical concerns and various issues to the forefront. Technology has made possible many advancements in biomedicine such as the cloning of the sheep- Dolly, the genetically engineered tomatoes, and the cloning of the human embryo. All these advancements have seen different reactions all in the name of ethics. The classical division existing between the society and...
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... Therapeutic cloning has the potential to treat several degenerative diseases, thereby defective genes could be replaced and help improve the lives of millions. However, cloning in the human sense has had a difficult start. DNA cloning has permitted the development of modern biology, in particular within the last forty years. In this time frame the world has passed from theories to actually cloning genes. Subsequently, The University of Utah Health Sciences did a study on the history of cloning: Mitalipov and colleagues were the first to use somatic cell nuclear transfer to create a human embryo. …In this experiment, researchers took a skin cell from a patient and fused it with a donated egg cell. Key to the success of the experiment was the modification to the culture liquid in which the procedure was done and to the series of electrical pulses used to stimulate the egg to begin its division. Following the cloning controversy of 2004–2005, in which South Korean scientists falsely claimed to have used somatic cell nuclear transfer to create embryonic stem cell lines, the scientific community demanded much stronger evidence that the procedure had actually been successful. (Learn. Genetics) Subsequently, many states in the US began to prohibit the use of therapeutic and reproductive cloning. Regardless, cloning should be decriminalized, with the stipulation that serious regulations be put into place. People, often too caught in the moral implications of cloning never take the...
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...medical facility and use his DNA to have a clone made, the same exact little boy she just lost; a football player was in a bad car wreck and is now paralyzed, his life revolves around his favorite sport that he can no longer play, again with science he can be healed, scientist use stem cells to repair his spinal cord, he is back in the game. This may sound amazing, but it comes with its luggage, a very high cost, other lives, more specifically human lives. With stem cell research and cloning can fix many problems, but the ways to make this possible requires human life in the form of embryos. Not only that but having the power to chose who lives and who dies is a power no human should have, that is a power reserved only for God himself. According to Merriam-Webster, bioethics is the ethics of life and biology, in the context of this paper, it is the ethics of creating and altering life. It deals with the ethics and implications of stem cells, In Vitro Fertilization, cloning and related issues. For years cloning and reviving organisms have been the imagination of writers and directors and dreams of scientists, but now, those dreams are possible with science and technology being advanced more and more everyday. Stem cells can be used to repair organs or spinal cord injuries but are harvested from human blastula, the beginning stages of a human baby. The National Institute of Health explains that stem cells are specialized cells that are “neutral”, they can become any type of...
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...Stem Cells Abstract According to human guidelines, human stem cell research is questionable. The main ethical dilemma revolves around whether or not an embryo is a human being of a cluster of cells. Stem cell research has the ability to provide treatment for many of today’s incurable diseases and disorders, and it is apparent this type of research produces many ethical issues in which one can consider both positive and negative for such research. Experimentation Critique Introduction Stem cell research is a modern method of discovering new medical break throughs. Research is involoved, using human embryos, causing heated moral debates. Human –nature and goal-based ethics theories apply to this controversial debate. The debate lies in the determionation of the embryos with moral status is owed. There has been extensive research in the underlying law and religious ethics surrounding the use of embryos for medical reasons. Discussed, is the debate, controversy, and opinion of government officials, in relation to the ethics involving stem cell research. Issues/Conflict Stem cell research proposes many ethical issues. The basis of this issue is that embryonic stem cells research holds such vast promise for so many people but obtaining the cell means destroying embryos. The ethical conflict brought on by stem cells means destroying embryos. The ethical conflict brought on by stem cell research is whether or not it is acceptable by social standards to experiment with...
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...Cell research is a very controversial topic in today’s society. This topic brings up many ethical questions about it is right to do the research or not. Stem cells come from embryos that are only a few days old. The ethical issues that arise are many. If one believes that an embryo is a baby upon fertilization, then one would feel that this was unethical to do the research no matter what the benefits would be. On the other hand, some feel the benefits of what can be learned from stem cell research outweighs the ethical and moral dilemmas that are argued. This long debate brings about many questions about the ethical approaches, that there have been restrictions placed on the research in the lines of what type of embryos can be used for the research. Ethical or not there are always two sides to debate, stem cell research is no different. Throughout this paper I will discuss the ethical issues that stem cell research brings into light and the benefits that stem cell research brings into light that may just outweigh the ethical issues, then determine it these benefits and ethical issues really make stem cell research the most beneficial way to help cure diseases such as juvenile diabetes, Parkinson’s disease or even spinal cord or neck injuries. Argument for Research Stem Cell research can help scientist discover more about human cells and how they grow, change, and replace damaged cells within the body. The information that can be learned is priceless. Using this research has...
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...Stem Cell Research Legislation Manny Garcia Jr English 135 Ms. Miller February 12, 2010 Abstract This paper explains that the ethical dilemma involved in stem cell research is a rather straight- forward process because to achieve its full potential this type of research requires using stem cells from fetuses. As well the history of Stem Cell Research Legislation in United States and what the current legislature state of affairs is and where the law on stem cell should go in the future. The issue of stem cell research burst on the scientific in November of 1998 when researchers first reported the isolation of human embryonic stem cells. The discovery, made by Dr. James A Thomson, a biologist at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, offered great promise for new ways of treating disease. The cells, which are derived from several day old embryos, can theoretically differentiate into virtually any type of human cell, from blood cells to skim cell. Scientists hope to find ways of using them to repair damaged tissue. Although research is only in the early stages, there is a growing consensus among researchers that many very effective medical treatments can be realized through cloning stem cells. This is because these cells can be made to replicate specific human tissues. These cells offer the possibility of a renewable source of replacement cells and tissue to treat a myriad of diseases, conditions, and disabilities including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, spinal...
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...Gm 520 Final Stem Cell Research Legislation Manny Garcia Jr English 135 Ms. Miller February 12, 2010 Abstract This paper explains that the ethical dilemma involved in stem cell research is a rather straight- forward process because to achieve its full potential this type of research requires using stem cells from fetuses. As well the history of Stem Cell Research Legislation in United States and what the current legislature state of affairs is and where the law on stem cell should go in the future. The issue of stem cell research burst on the scientific in November of 1998 when researchers first reported the isolation of human embryonic stem cells. The discovery, made by Dr. James A Thomson, a biologist at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, offered great promise for new ways of treating disease. The cells, which are derived from several day old embryos, can theoretically differentiate into virtually any type of human cell, from blood cells to skim cell. Scientists hope to find ways of using them to repair damaged tissue. Although research is only in the early stages, there is a growing consensus among researchers that many very effective medical treatments can be realized through cloning stem cells. This is because these cells can be made to replicate specific human tissues. These cells offer the possibility of a renewable source of replacement cells and tissue to treat a myriad of diseases, conditions, and disabilities including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's...
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...Using Human Cloning for Medical Research The subject of human cloning has many different points of view. The utilization of human cloning for the sake of medical research is a path that we, as guardians of the future, should stand up against in an effort to preserve the human race as we know it today. The topic of cloning has many different terminologies as well as types. What is cloning? Cloning is not limited just to humans but is actually all around us. It exists in nature, animals and humans. Cloning is defined as the creation of a genetically identical copy of an existing human or growing cloned tissue from that individual. This term is generally used to refer to artificial cloning; human clones in the form of identical twins are commonplace, with their cloning occurring during the natural process of reproduction. “Human cloning is the asexual production of a human being whose genetic makeup is nearly identical to that of a currently or previously existing individual” (Chesire et al., 2003, p. 1010). To be successful with cloning, scientists utilize and create “generic” cells that that have the ability to make exact duplicates or copies of themselves indefinitely. This process is known as “stem cell research.” Stem cells are a key element of the different types of cloning and will impact advances in helping to cure many different types of diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, spinal cord injury, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, and cancer. Before...
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...Week 5: Confidentiality and Bioethical Issues (Nov 20 - Nov 27) Welcome to Week 5! This week, we discuss issues related to bioethics. Since the time of Hippocrates, “First Do No Harm” has been the medical mandate. It is the basic concept that drives all of the codes of ethics for the health professions. The concept is one of the first you learn in school. From this comes the duty to make ethical decisions “in the best interest of the patient.” While all medical professionals would agree that this is the goal, not all would agree on exactly what IS the best interest of the patient in a given situation. Healthcare workers—and specifically physicians—work hard to save lives. Many times, death is seen as a medical failure. Health professionals go to great lengths to preserve life with the assumption that saving the life—at all costs—is in the best interest of all patients. In the past, if that left the patient paralyzed or in a vegetative coma, it was still success - they were alive. Today, this assumption is being reconsidered as patients themselves demand to decide for themselves what is in their own best interest. Of particular interest is Oregon law which states, "an adult who is capable and has been determined by the attending doctor to be suffering from a terminal disease, and who has voluntarily expressed his or her wish to die, may make a written request for medication for the purpose of ending his or her life in a humane and dignified manner." In short, the patient can...
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...consumer products, such as many components of engines, guns and even musical instruments. Whichever contextual application of this technology is desired and utilized, both ethical benefits and weaknesses exist. Multiple American companies including General Electric, Boeing, Nike, Honeywell and others have used this technology in manufacturing motor components, shoes, solar panels and other consumer products. Endless potential applications of 3-dimmensional printing exist for future developments. Interestingly, printing of meat for human consumption as an alternative to harvesting meat from animals is currently being researched. In 2008 PeTA offered a $1 million X-Prize style reward for the first group to synthetically develop such commercially viable meat. This is one case in which proposing ethical dilemmas exist, and the many alternative controversies this topic entails. Further bioethical dilemma’s and considerations exist and will be discussed in detail. Technology To fully understand any ethical dilemmas encapsulating this technology, a considerate knowledge of 3-dimmensional printing is required. First, we will look into the general technology of designing, preparing and yielding products. Only then, applications of bio-printing, and the corresponding controversies and ethical dilemmas can further be discussed....
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...Stem Cell Research Sarah-Renee Keller So far, stem cell research had been a topic of great debate and will continue to be. This is mainly for moral or religious reasons. Stem cell research, though hotly debated, could possibly change or save millions of lives. This is why I believe Stem Cell Research should be continued. The advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Also, while the moralities of others should be considered and respected as much as possible, it shouldn't take precedence when the benefits of stem cell therapies have the potential to be so many. Definition of stem cells Stem cells are cells with the ability to divide many times and can eventually develop into many different tissues that perform specific functions. The two types of stem cells are embryonic and adult (or somatic) stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are obtained from embryos, most of which are left over attempts from in-vitro fertilization. They are then placed in a culture dish in the hope that they will continue to multiply and not differentiate. Somatic stem cells are cells acquired from adults in tissues that need to generate more cells to maintain themselves and function (such as bone marrow). Scientists typically have much more difficulty trying to generate adult stem cells in cultures than embryonic stem cells. Stem cells can be totipotent, pluripotent, or multipotent. Totipotent cells are the most useful, because they can become any cell or tissue type. The middle ground between...
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...Chapter 1: Ethical Theory Meta-ethical positions include: * Ethical non-cognitivism (concept that ethics is a matter of feelings) * Ethical relativism (concept that ethics is relative to a particular point of view) * Ethical objectivism (notion that ethics is objective in nature). Meta-Ethical Positions Ethical Non-cognitivism The basis of ethical non-cognitivism is that ethical disagreement can be a highly emotional affair where no amount of reasoning is likely to convince the other party. * Example: “Let’s just agree to disagree” Ethical Relativism * Ethical relativism says that while ethical statements are cognitively meaningful, they do not hold in any objective sense because they depend on our point of view. * If we accept ethical relativism, then ethical disagreement among people who do not share the same perspective becomes impossible. * It assumes that if people agree on something, then it must be true. * Ethical relativism is suspect for a pragmatic reason: it is fundamentally at variance with our social practice. * Example: “To each his own”, or the belief that what’s right for one group isn’t necessarily right for another Ethical Objectivism * Ethical objectivism holds that right and wrong are objective phenomena. * Example: “I’m right and you’re wrong” What is Ethics? * As a discipline, ethics is a branch of philosophy. * It deals with questions of right and wrong conduct, and with what we ought to do and what...
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