Reserch: Stem Cells Essay

Should Stem Cell Research Continue? Using stem cells in medical research is a highly opinionated and controversial subject in the U.S. To truly understand what underlies the argument, titled "Stem Cell Research" an article by Marcia Clemmitt gives the reader defying background information and many examples of both pros and cons on the controversy. "Stem cells are very basic cells in humans and animals that when needed can renew themselves indefinitely and repeatedly produce at least one kind of highly specialized cell, such s a muscle, skin, blood, brain, or intestinal cell. There are two kinds of stem cells -embryonic and adult-..." Physicians are already using harvested & transplanted bone marrow as a cure for anemia and leukemia. The federal government by presidential veto, has at times slowed stem cell research down. Some states such as California, New Jersey, Wisconsin, New York, and Ill, disagreed and are funding and actively building embryonic stem cell research facilities. Not only is it difficult for individuals to agree on this topic, but our governing bodies don't see eye to eye either. It is my opinion that we should continue and even expand stem cell research so it includes all types. It was from Marcia Clemmitt's article that I found the two differing opinions on whether stem cell research, which gave me some insight into both sides of the controversy. The first essay I read was taken from the Congressional Record, June 29, 2006 by Senator Sam Brownback, a republican from Kansas. The Senator is addressing his colleagues about embryonic stem cells. It is his feeling through the essay that embryos are life from the very beginning. Brownback goes onto say, "'Some will say that the youngest of human life is property and at some point in development it becomes a person..., we don't recognize the transition that goes from property to personhood, and if so, where would you draw the line?'" In summing up, all of Brownback's arguments suggest his feelings that embryonic stem cell research should be considered murder. My second essay was also taken from Marcia Clemmitt's article, and was a statement from the Congressional Record, July 10, 2006 by Senator Byron Dorgan, a democrat from North Dakota. The Senator brings up the fact that around 2005, the House of Representatives, with both republican and democratic support, passed the "'Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act."' In it he relays information about citizens "'who have lost loved ones to dread diseases- Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, heart dieses, diabetes- understand that the urgency to do the research to find the cures for the diseases really must be

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