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Ethics and Opposition of Stem Cell Research

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Ethics and Opposition

Ethics and Opposition of Stem Cell Research

Biology 103 E803

Ethics and Opposition of Stem Cell Research

The world of stem cell research can offer an immeasurable amount of possible medical marvels. It also comes with a myriad of controversies. Like where would we get embryonic stem cells, what would be done with it, and when are they considered human? The battle lines are drawn but the war is far from over. Backers for the research are starting to grow. I would like to delve into the ethics that should be in place if this research becomes a stable infrastructure of medical practice. Also, I will go into handling opposition concerning this research potential. First let us see what ethical issues that would arise in this probable world or research. In an article by Anne McLaren, she stated that there would be three different ethical issues that would arise: personal ethics, research ethics, and social ethics. In the realm of personal ethics it would deal with personal morality, dishonesty, irresponsibility, and failure to observe good practice (McLaren, 2007). Meaning there are two very important things that have to be considered by the person before continuing with the research. Is it for personal gain either financially or professionally or is it for the patient’s needs. Both of which are very important for every doctor around the world, and which some lost sight of.
The second ethical problem is research ethics, which deals with the research itself: what material is being used, what is its source, what are researchers doing with it (McLaren, 2007). This is where the true battle lies in stem cell research. The burning question that arises is, “When does life begin?” Another question is, “Where do you get the embryonic stem cells?” One logical place is from couples trying for a child through in vitro fertilization to donate

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