Stem Cel=
l Research
Some Fac=
ts to
Consider
By Siste=
r Ann
Schumacher – October ‘06
Stem cells come from a variety of sources:
1. adult (from the bone mar= row and other tissues)
2. umbilical (obtained shor= tly after birth)
3. embryonic (from fertilized ova, most frequently from surplus embryos from the in vitro fertilization process)
Adult stem cells have a limited capacity to transform = into other tissues but greater capability than once thought. Their advantage is = that coming from the patient, they don’t cause a rejection process because they are genetically identical to the patient. They have been able to devel= op adult stem cells into heart, nerve and liver tissue, possibly more in the future.
Embryonic stem cells come from a variety of sources. Generally, the most common are derived from excess embryos from in vitro fertilization clinics as part of the process to help infertile women become pregnant. At the present time in this country, this is the only legal way to produce embryos for potential research. Other methods are to use ova purcha= sed from egg donors (often times women living in poverty) which are then fertilized, or to obtain nuclei from adult donors to place within an unfertilized ovum which then takes on the characteristics of a stem cell (c= loning). In the former method, women who wish to become donors have to take powerful fertility medicines in order to stimulate their ovaries to produce numerous eggs for harvesting and are generally paid for the risk of taking the medication and the procedure for harvesting the eggs which involves surgery= .
There have been many instances of demonstrated benefit= of adult stem cell research with patients already benefiting from this area of research. However, there are no demonstrated benefits from embryonic stem c= ell research as of yet, despite the potential of unlimited cell lines that coul= d be produced. Part of the difficulty is that any tissue produced would be incompatible with the host and would result in rejection unless the patient takes powerful anti-rejection drugs for the rest of their lives. They have = also noted in animal studies that the chances of tumor development are increased, possibly because these undifferentiated cells may lack the normal feedback = that they would receive from a normally developed and functioning embryo as it g= rows to maturity. In any case, any treatment developed from this source currently involves the destruction of the embryo.
The ethical and moral dilemma revolves around the destruction of the embryo to obtain a treatment that would alleviate and perhaps potentially cure a multitude of chronic illnesses. The Catholic Chu= rch doesn’t condemn all stem cell research. It encourages research in the area of adult and umbilical stem cells. Because the embryo is viewed as a u= nique individual (which is true due to its unique genetic code and eventual life experiences), it is to receive the same rights as any other human life as a recognition of its dignity as a unique creation of God’s.