Position: Stem-Cell Research

In March 2009, President Obama reversed the ban on new lines of embryonic stem cells placed by President Bush. The left supports the continued use of embryonic stem cells in research because, as a political issue, it blurs the boundaries of where life begins and that makes abortion easier to tolerate. Democrats would have you believe that Republicans are opposed to stem cell research and the progression of science. That’s nonsense.

New discoveries in adult stem cells have allowed for ethical alternatives to embryonic stem cell research. In the early days of stem cell research, embryonic stem cells could do something very amazing: they could change into whatever types of cells are needed. This is called pluripotency. This made them valuable in research.

While pluripotency is valuable in research, embryonic stem cells have some very bad side effects. First, because they are immature, embryonic stem cells are unpredictable (often growing out of control, just like cancer). In addition, because they come from a donor, they are subject to rejection by any subsequent host. Of course, the use of human embryos in research raise considerable moral concerns as well.

There are dozens of stem cell treatments currently being made available, with many more on the near horizon. NONE of them are related to embryonic cells and ALL of them are making use of adult stem cells.

In recent years, scientists have been able to manipulate adult stem cells to become pluripotent. Adult stem cells that are pluripotent are just what science needs to make appropriate use of stem cells. Using your own stem cells and modifying them so that they can adapt is the key to providing a treatment specific to you. In this case, we are achieving all the benefits of embryonic stem cells without destroying embryos.

The research is showing that pluripotent adult stem cells are an acceptable alternative to embryonic stem cells. The prospects of better research and more ethical stem cell research have arrived.

Embryonic stem cell research is no longer necessary. An ethical alternative that enjoys fantastic possibilities exists. Science and spirituality are natural allies. As should be.

I support stem cell research because it is has amazing potential for scientific cures. I oppose embryonic stem cell research because it is unethical and because an amazing and equivalent alternative exists.