The Importance of Stem Cell Research

Embryonic stem cell research has the potential to alleviate so much suffering, Nancy
Reagan. This quote is about Nancy explaining her point of view on stem cell research; she
supports the study of stem cells because the capability of these cells is endless. Stem cell
research can provide a generous amount of cures and treatments. Embryonic stem cell research
should be allowed for further experimentation and research. Stem cells are revolutionizing
medicine as we know it; with the creation of Regenerative Medicine, stem cells are being
required more than ever for further study.

Stem cell research has the potential to cure disease and repair body parts. At Johns Hopkins
University, researchers have discovered how to grow eye cells in a laboratory; this will help them
progress to create cures and drug treatments. Also, there is a possibility that these stem cells can
cure blindness. The research at John Hopkins also proves that stem cell research is necessary for
further improving human lives. Regenerative Medicine is in the works at the moment; one
example of Regenerative Medicine is called "Soup Therapy." Soup Therapy uses a concoction of
human cells (including stem cells) traced from a person's fat; With this combination of human
cells, injuries that otherwise may have required surgery are now capable of repair. With a surplus
of Stem Cell Clinics opening, so will the popularity of stem cell treatment. This creation of
Regenerative Medicine, like Soup Therapy, will revolutionize the medical industry as we know
it, repairing human bodies with these cells will be a new dawn for medicine.

Stem cell research will help and save many lives. Transplants of stem cells for children at
infancy has been very useful for treating immune system deficiency, around 240 patient cases
found these stem cell operations to be highly efficient (NewsRx Health & Science). The survival
rate of these patients was 94%(NewsRx Health & Science); these transplants proved to be more
operative when these children had their operations take place at an earlier age and acquired the
stem cells from a sibling (NewsRx Health & Science). This piece of evidence supports that stem
cell research should continue because, with more knowledge about these cells, possible cures for
diseases could originate from this investigation. Scientists have found that women who are
undergoing chemotherapy become infertile, but with the injection of stem cells in their ovaries
they can become fertile again (Knapton). The new treatment provides hope to more than 20,000
women during their childbearing years, who have or will have a diagnosis run to discover that
they have cancer. This new treatment could help these women from early menopause and ovarian
failure (Knapton). The recent research and studies of reversing infertility can provide hope to
women that experience cancer during their childbearing years. The products of stem cell research
are cures; these medicines and treatments are decreasing human suffering and save lives as well.

Religious and Social conservatives say that stem cell research is unethical and not effective
because human embryos will perish in the process of this study. However, scientists are also
creating alternatives such as induced pluripotent cells. These cells are still incunabula but can be
used as an alternative to stem cell research. From the opposing point (religious and social
conservatives) of view against stem cell research, they believe that stem cell research is unethical

and that it is not capable of providing effective cures. For example, a boy who got injected with
fetal stem cells began to grow tumors recently in his spine (National Right to Live News).
Another example of the failure of fetal stem cell injection was in 2001; doctors attempted to use
fetal tissue for their patients who had Parkinsons (National Right to Live News). These patients
began to move uncontrollably, a real nightmare stated by one of the doctors (National Right to
Live News). The reports of failed usage of fetal tissue convinced people to perceive that using
fetal organs is unethical.The reports further prove that using fetal tissue to try to help these
individuals who have serious problems is not plausible.

On the other hand, this was when they were using fetal tissue for stem cells, now we are
developing new forms of cells for which we can use for research and experimentation, one
example is called induced pluripotent cells (iPSCs). The creation of iPSCs will also reduce the
amount and usage of human embryos, these reprogrammed cells act like undifferentiated cells,
undifferentiation is the behavior of stem cells (American Scientist). Researchers have
experimented on mice with these new reprogrammed cells, and now need to be tested in human
cells to see if they are compatible (America). With these recent endeavors of searching for
alternatives for stem cell research, iPSCs seem to have the most potential for significantly
reducing the amount of human embryos destroyed in the process of research compared to the
previous forms of stem cell research. The controversy of stem cell research being ethical and
efficient will soon be out of the question due to the new alternatives for stem cell research.

In conclusion, the study of stem cells has an enormous amount of potential and capability to
save many lives. Stem cell research is a logical step forward in advancing and improving medical

care significantly. Scientists that study stem cells are creating alternatives such as reprogrammed
blood cells and iPSCs to continue their research. These choices will be ethical and will further
develop their future drug treatments and cures for diseases.Stem cell research will be the next
step to the future for medical care and better human living.

Works Cited:
America. "New Stem-Cell method shows promise." 3 March 2014. Gale Opposing Viewpoints.
Document. 16 2 2016.
American Scientist. "Reprogramming Stem Cells." November-December 2014. Gale Opposing
Viewpoints. Document. 16 2 2016.
Knapton, Sarah. "Stem Cell Breakthrough reverses Infertility After Cancer." 22 October 2015.
Siris. Newspaper. 16 2 2016.
National Right to Life News. "Planned parenthood's defense of using fetal organs to 'treat and
cure' is a sham." 12 October 2015. Gale Opposing Viewpoints. Newspaper. 16 2 2016.
NewsRx Health & Science. "Stem Cells: Transplantation Shown to Be Highly Effective in
Treating Immune Deficiency In Children." 17 August 2014. Siris. Document. 12 2 2016.
Schrotenboer, Brent. "'Soup' Therapy Promises Healing." 2 September 2015. Siris. Newspaper. 2
February 2016.

Wells, Carie. "Growing of Eye Cells Presages New Treatments for Blindness." 20 December
2015. Siris . Newspaper . 2 February 2016.