Instead, scientists conducting research on embryonic stem cells have encountered significant obstacles-including tumor formation, unstable gene expression, and an inability to stimulate the cells to form the desired type of tissue. Though embryonic stem cells have been purported as holding great medical promise, reports of actual clinical success have been few. Have scientists been successful in using embryonic stem cells to treat disease? (For updates on experimental results, access 5. The long-held belief that non-embryonic stem cells are less able to differentiate into multiple cell types or be sustained in the laboratory over an extended period of time-rendering them less medically-promising than embryonic stem cells-has been repeatedly challenged by experimental results that have suggested otherwise.

For example, patients suffering from a whole host of afflictions-including (but not limited to) Parkinson’s disease, autoimmune diseases, stroke, anemia, cancer, immunodeficiency, corneal damage, blood and liver diseases, heart attack, and diabetes-have experienced improved function following administration of therapies derived from adult or umbilical cord blood stem cells. In contrast to research on embryonic stem cells, non-embryonic stem cell research has already resulted in numerous instances of actual clinical benefit to patients. Have scientists been successful in using non-embryonic stem cells to treat disease? Since umbilical cords are detached from infants at birth, umbilical cord blood is an ethical source of stem cells. However, if the abortion of fetuses is the means by which fetal stem cells are obtained, then an unethical means (the killing of human beings) is involved. If fetal stem cells are obtained from miscarried or stillborn fetuses, or if it is possible to remove them from fetuses still alive in the womb without harming the fetuses, then no harm is done to the donor and such fetal stem cell research is ethical. Is it ethical to obtain stem cells from human fetuses and umbilical cords?įetal stem cell research may ethically resemble either adult or embryonic stem cell research and must be evaluated accordingly.

Obtaining stem cells from these sources does not result in certain harm to a human being. How are adult stem cells different from embryonic stem cells?Īdult stem cells (also referred to as “non-embryonic” stem cells) are present in adults, children, infants, placentas, umbilical cords, and cadavers. When stem cells are obtained from living human embryos, the harvesting of such cells necessitates destruction of the embryos. Typically, they are derived from human embryos-often those from fertility clinics who are left over from assisted reproduction attempts (e.g., in vitro fertilization). Human embryonic stem cells are the cells from which all 200+ kinds of tissue in the human body originate. What are human embryonic stem cells and how are they obtained? Ethical alternatives for achieving those benefits should be actively pursued, and have demonstrated a number of promising preclinical and clincial results without the ethical concers present with embryonic stem cells. CBHD’s view is that because human embryonic stem cell research necessitates the destruction of human embryos, such research is unethical-regardless of its alleged benefits. Among the most vocal opponents of the research are those who share the desire to heal, but who object to the pursuit of healing via unethical means. Some of the most prominent advocates of the research are scientists and patients who believe that embryonic stem cell research will lead to the development of treatments and cures for some of humanity’s most pernicious afflictions (such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, and diabetes). This announcement kicked off an intense and unrelenting debate between those who approve of embryonic stem cell research and those who are opposed to it. In November of 1998, scientists reported that they had successfully isolated and cultured human embryonic stem cells-a feat which had eluded researchers for almost two decades.

Advantages of embryonic stem cells