Argumentative Essay
Kaylene Walter

Q: “Should we allow stem cell research and treatment to continue?”
A: In order to debate this topic, we must first establish a basic understanding of what stem cells are and how they are used. There are two main types of stem cells: embryonic and adult.
Human embryonic stem cells (ES for short) are, in simple terms, cells that are capable of morphing into any tissue type in the human body. These “miracle cells” are the most beneficial, but also the most controversial because of the methods by which they are gathered. They are obtained NOT from fetuses, but from the blastocyst, which, “during embryonic development at 5-6 days, comes from a human fertilized egg that grows into a ball of cells. The blastocyst will develop through a number of other embryonic stages before becoming a fetus” (Mollard).
ES research is conducted using blastocysts obtained only from in-vitro (“test tube”) fertilization because of the fact that “not all eggs will fertilize and develop properly into blastocysts during an in vitro fertilization procedure. More eggs are fertilized than are required in order to maximize the chances of having a successful pregnancy, and those blastocysts that are not implanted for pregnancy are usually frozen for future use by the couple who produced them, or are ultimately discarded” (Mollard).

Adult stem cells, on the other hand, are stem cells that come from different parts of the mature human body and, depending on where they are from, have different properties. They exist in several different tissues including bone marrow, blood and the brain. Although a wealth of information on adult stem cells has already been collected, scientists still do not understand their specific properties well. It had for example been suggested that adult stem cells from one organ can turn into cells of another organ. Recent rigorous studies have however not proven such claims, which is why the focus of most stem cell research is geared towards ES cells (Stem Cell Primer). “Stem cell therapies are a reality in the clinic today, however, the diseases they are used to treat are limited to very specific types of disorders. Some who oppose embryonic stem cell research have provided a list of 69 conditions putatively treated by adult stem cells. The implicit message is that adult stem cell therapies are sufficient and that scientists underemphasize the power of adult stem cells in order to justify embryonic stem cell research. This proposition is profoundly cynical about the motivation of scientists and because of its use to inform the public, is a claim that deserves careful scrutiny… The range of diseases is still extremely restricted, largely limited to blood disorders and specific cancers” (Scadden). The point that this scientist is trying to make is that only certain types of stem cells have virtually unlimited potential to cure and regenerate the body. But, because pro-life activists have been enraged by the means of harvesting these particular cells- embryonic stem cells- they are trying to justify their views by insisting that ES cells need not be used. This brings us to debate.

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Fear nothing.