Bioethics: Stem Cells Research

While the stem cells research category is wide with various and more complex dynamics, it holds much promise with vast potential uses in medicine and therapy solutions for patients. More so, stem cell research is beneficial for more reasons, such as using stem cells to test new drugs and their use to understand how diseases occur. However, stem cell research has faced many controversies over the years and has been a source of the bioethical dilemma. Since most stem cells are sourced from human embryos, many have considered their use unethical and inhumane, especially when fetched from human embryos without donor consent. Therefore, stem cell research represents a bioethical dilemma in using stem cells based on their embryonic source and other basic and clinical research uses, despite their enormous potential applications and advancement in the medicinal field. 

Over the years, the stem cells dilemma has developed new and arising bioethical concerns raised continuously, with more possible concerns yet to be raised despite the continual beneficial application and modernization of stem cell research. First, to determine the dilemma stem cell research creates, stem cells must be identified in their natural and artificial sources and applications. Stem cells are commonly considered a body's raw materials since they comprise cells whose functions are the generation of other more specialized cells and thus can evolve to various types of tissue generation specialized cells (Tandon et al., 2019). Hence, stem cells are characterized by their ability to form other specialized cells, despite their lack of specialization and self-renewal capabilities for longer periods. Stem cells sourced from embryos have greater effects in this application, which is a major result of the initial controversies and bioethical dilemma stem cells have been identified with. Other stem cells are either sourced as adult stem cells or induced pluripotent stem cells, which are programmed adult stem cells converted to fulfill the purpose of embryonic stem cells. Despite the introduction of modernized stem cell research, such as the use of pluripotent stem cells, National Institute guidelines for stem cell research, and policies such as consent from embryo donors, stem cell research remains controversial (Tandon et al., 2019). The current dilemma is sourced from these same concerns, such as donor consent, embryo usage, and its products, such as chimeras which are made up of multiple individuals. Therefore, the current dilemma in stem research involves stem cells' use and beneficial applications despite their questionable sources from other human cells, especially embryo cells. 

Despite the controversy claimed by anti-embryonic stem cell research advocates, stem cell research should be continually supported and fostered while under the correct policies and guidelines. Anti-embryonic stem cell research advocates believe that the possible benefits resulting from stem cell research do not outweigh the moral deficiencies that interrupt the natural growth of embryonic and fetal progression and their right to live (Nwigwe, 2019). However, the first problem of the controversy is due to its underlying lack of clarity on the constraints of personhood. Personhood defines one's status as a person, raising the question of whether an embryo has the right to personhood or when its life begins. Secondly, stem cell research has seen notable advancements in regenerative medicine and therapy, such as cancer treatment and suicide gene therapy (Tandon et al., 2019). Also, stem cell research helps understand disease development, giving an edge to medicine. Thus, the potential medicinal and clinical applications of stem cells outweigh the limited moral concerns due to the major potential to save more lives. 

Stem cell research is characterized by a dilemma in the sourcing and application of stem cells such as embryonic stem cells. On the one hand, the potential use of stem cells can find more treatments for diseases with high mortality rates through applications such as regenerative medicine and understanding disease development. However, on the other hand, the use of stem cells is morally deficient due to the lack of acknowledgment of life in an embryo. In this case, stem cell research should be supported while following necessary policies such as donor consent, especially considering the promise to save lives. 

References

Nwigwe, L. (2019). Embryonic stem cell research: An ethical dilemma. Voices in Bioethics, 5. From DOI https://doi.org/10.7916/vib.v5i.6135

Tandon, G. D. (2019). Bioethical issues in stem cell research. Global Bioethics Enquiry: Review Paper. From https://globalbioethicsenquiry.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Bioethical-Issues-in-Stem-Cell-Research-.pdf