By: Erin Hutzell and Triston Harry
Should the government support/fund the research of embryonic stem cells? ◦ To answer the question: Is embryonic stem cell research ethical? Is embryonic stem cell research useful? Does embryonic stem cell research fit government regulations?
Embryonic Stem Cells ◦ Derived from Blastocyst ◦ Embryo is Destroyed ◦ Cells are Pluripotent ◦ Currently being Researched Government ◦ Federal Regulations ◦ Guide Research ◦ Many Documents Belmont Report Dickey-Wicker Amendment
Life Begins at Conception ◦ Scientifically Proven Genetics Embryology Embryonic Development Life Begins at day 14 or 15 of Pregnancy ◦ Twinning ◦ Embryo Fusion ◦ Miscarriages
Spare Embryos ◦ Permanently Frozen ◦ Destroyed Anyways Alternatives to these procedures
Kant’s Categorical Imperative Inherent worth End-in-itself formula Principalism Nonmalificence Beneficence Autonomy
Unethical
Scarce amount of recorded data Tissue rejection Tumors Not approved by FDA
Adult Stem CellsInduced Pluripotent Stem Cells Occur Naturally in Body Naturally Repair Body Highly successful ◦ Treated between 70 and 100 disorders Presents no ethical implications or health problems New Technology ◦ Still in Research Phase Not used as direct treatment Cell Lines used to find treatments ◦ Test drugs Artificially created Fairly successful Problem of Uncontrollable Growth ◦ Tumors
Embryonic Stem Cells are not useful therapeutically and are not successful
Dickey Wicker Amendment George Bush Barrack Obama
National Research Act of 1974 The Belmont Report Created Committee Identify Ethical Principles Guide Research Resulted in Belmont Report Principles ◦ Autonomy ◦ Beneficence ◦ Justice All Principles Violated
Should not be funded
The Government Should Not Fund Embryonic Stem Cell Research ◦ The Research Itself is Unethical Human lives are destroyed ◦ The Research is Unsuccessful This results in a bad allocation of resources if funded ◦ The Research Violates Government Regulations Should not fund something that does not follow the law