Stem cell research: Scientific must, not political bust
David Youseff
Issue date: 4/10/09 Section: Ed-Op
Unfortunately the potential both for abuse and unprecedented mistakes is also high. In her inspiring 2005 TED Conference talk, (Technology Entertainment and Design) Eva Vertes pointed out a natural connection between cancer growths and methods in which stem cells reproduce. When working with something so fundamental, all possible care must be taken in understanding exactly what the long term effects are of stem cell treatment. There is also the possibility that the use of stem cells will be subverted to purely economic means and abuse.
I don't claim to understand all the intricacies of microbiology or of political maneuvering. I do, however, understand that as more of the population lives longer, more treatment and breakthroughs will be needed. I also understand that if the United States doesn't push its research forward, other countries will.
The dangers are there, ethically and logically, and to ignore them in favor of blind hope is foolish. Wherever possible, support should be given to cord blood stem cells and adult bone marrow and fat stem cells. Embryonic stem cells have not proven to be considerably more adaptive, and it would create less controversy and more acceptance in the general population. I'm sure that like Pandora's Box this issue won't let us just close the box on it, but then again this box could be a present.
David Youseff is a sophomore majoring in electrical engineering. He can be reached at op-ed @thetriangle.org.
I don't claim to understand all the intricacies of microbiology or of political maneuvering. I do, however, understand that as more of the population lives longer, more treatment and breakthroughs will be needed. I also understand that if the United States doesn't push its research forward, other countries will.
The dangers are there, ethically and logically, and to ignore them in favor of blind hope is foolish. Wherever possible, support should be given to cord blood stem cells and adult bone marrow and fat stem cells. Embryonic stem cells have not proven to be considerably more adaptive, and it would create less controversy and more acceptance in the general population. I'm sure that like Pandora's Box this issue won't let us just close the box on it, but then again this box could be a present.
David Youseff is a sophomore majoring in electrical engineering. He can be reached at op-ed @thetriangle.org.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
D Church
posted 4/10/09 @ 10:40 AM EST
You confuse the issue by mixing discussion of embryonic stem cell research (cells from aborted chidren) with adult stem cell reasearch (cells from umbilical cords). (Continued…)
R.Will.
posted 4/10/09 @ 12:41 PM EST
"In our world, fiction and science are rubbing elbows more and more often. One of these friction points is the issue of stem cell research, more specifically, the issue of gathering stem cells from the embryo of an aborted child. (Continued…)
Rishi
posted 4/10/09 @ 1:28 PM EST
Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells also serve as a viable alternative. It seems that humans would be a lot more willing to sacrifice skin cells rather than deal with the ethics inherent to embryonic stem cell research. (Continued…)
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