Embryonic Stem Cell Research A greatly misunderstood science.

History Stem cell research has only been in practice since 1998 when James Thompson isolated cells from the inner mass of embryos to create a line of embryonic stem cells. It has been speculated since the early 1800s, but never put into practice due to limited resources and little support from the public.

A Few Facts Embryonic stem cells are more desirable for research due to their flexibility. Scientists view them as extremely promising because they live longer, can be grown in large quantities in cultures and can make any type of cell. Many people have doubts about the ethics of this practice, and consequently it is severely under funded.

Controversy Some opposed to stem cell research thing that it is a slippery slope that fundamentally devalues the worth of human beings. All that stem cell research stands for conflicts with pro-life people. Especially religious ones. Bush being one of them since he has vetoed any pro stem cell bills presented in Congress. One argument is that embryos while of value are not equivalent to human life. This is the utilitarianism point of view. One of the main arguments about this issue is “value of life”. People believe that an embryo is in fact a human, therefore should be valued as a human life.

The Future Of Stem Cell Research There is hope that some day stem cells may provide effective low cost treatment for problems such as diabetes, cancer, Parkinson's and maybe even AIDS. As of right now, though, there is no solid evidence of embryonic stem cells being used to cure diseases but there is much hope. If people don’t give it the benefit of the doubt, however, it may never live up to its potential.