Stem Cells – Ethics
Stem cells are a fascinating medical tool available for us to utilise, with the potential to improve the health and well-being of millions of people. Whilst at first glance, they may seem like a miracle cure, there’s a vast range of ethical issues to be considered before we make use of stem cells.
What are Stem Cells?
Stem cells are undifferentiated cells, with the potential to differentiate (change) into any type of cell. Essentially, every cell in your body originated from a very simple cell, which underwent multiple processes to make it unique and adapted to its specific function. For example, a cell that secretes enzymes into your small intestines might have become specialised with lots of mitochondria (organelles which provide energy for the cell), providing the cell with plenty of energy to carry out the highly metabolic task of secretion.
How can we use Stem Cells?
Stem cells are a magnificent biological resource, with their fascinating ability to differentiate into any cell. There is the potential for stem cells to be used to treat severe medical disorders, such as type 1 Diabetes, paralysis, macular degeneration and many more!
The idea is that stem cells are harvested and biologically engineered into the desired cell type, such as insulin-secreting cells in the pancreas or nerve cells. These engineered cells could then be implanted into the patient’s body (following the removal of damaged or faulty cells), carrying out their correct function and curing the patient. These ground-breaking treatments could play a hugely significant role in improving the lives of millions of diseased patients and their families. Sick patients could potentially no-longer need extra care, adaptive homes and selective diets. Not to mention, the vast sums of money that could be saved for the NHS, as expensive long-term treatments would no longer be necessary for a significant proportion of patients. Clearly, there is a wide variety of positive impacts that could result from utilising stem cells.
Already, there are some impressive uses of stem cells, such as; replacing damaged skin of burns victims; testing new drugs on stem cells; and analysing developmental biology enabling us to easily and safely see how organisms grow and develop.
Where do they come from?
There are very few places that stem cells can be harvested from. The most-used regions include early embryos and adult bone marrow.
Early Embryos:
These stem cells can be taken from embryos at a very early stage of development. Unwanted embryos are collected from fertility clinics, which would otherwise be destroyed. Embryonic stem cells have a greater variety of applications, as are able to differentiate into any type of cell in the human body.
Bone Marrow:
These stem cells are sourced from the centre of the bones of healthy adults. They are less useful than embryonic stem cells, as can only differentiate into a narrow range of cells, such as red blood cells, white blood cells and a few other simple cells, reducing the opportunities for application. However, scientists are currently studying whether we could possibly engineer adult stem cells, so that they can differentiate into any cell type.
What are the Ethics behind Stem Cells?
Unfortunately, there are lots of ethical considerations accompanying the use of stem cells.
Many people are concerned over the issue that embryonic stem cells are regarded as early potential human lives. Therefore, people may argue that by manipulating these cells, we are destroying potential lives and that this is unethical. This is an overriding argument that has led to significant limitations in the progression of using stem cells.
Others may argue that we don’t yet know all the information about stem cells. They may believe that using stem cells to treat human diseases could lead to issues that make conditions much worse. Some may suggest that we should do extensive research into the potential side – effects of stem cells, before we integrate them into modern medical practises.
People from certain religious backgrounds may also hold views against the use of stem cells. They may argue that using stem cells is an unnatural method and shouldn’t be used to manipulate human lives. This could lead to certain groups of people rejecting treatments from stem cells, limiting the extent of development.
On the other hand, stem cells hold the capability to cure and improve the lives of millions of patients. This would enable people to live better lives, without the stress of having a disease, which could lead to significant improvements in wellbeing. Alongside this, reductions in stress and anxiety could occur for the families of people with serious illnesses.
Furthermore, stem cells could lead to better financial circumstances for the NHS and other health services. Treating non-communicable diseases, such as Type 1 diabetes requires life-long, often expensive treatment. We could combat these costs by using stem cells, which would provide a permanent cure, meaning less costly treatments would be required.
Conclusion – do the benefits outweigh the ethical controversies?
Overall, stem cells are a wonderful resource that has the potential to transform modern medical treatments, accompanying significant improvements to treating disease. With advantages, such as saving money for the NHS, stem cells might seem like an option that we should grasp immediately. However, it is important to remember that ethical considerations must be taken into account and that stem cells are still a relatively new biological discovery, which we don’t necessarily understand everything about. Therefore, I would say that there is certainly a wide avenue for the use of stem cells, as long as we follow through with the process slowly and mindfully.
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Photo – freepik