Stem Cell Research:For it or against it?

[DELTAQTE]

Ok, I don't understand everything about Stem Cell Research. But here is what it seems to come down to:

PRO: By letting these scientists use these eggs, we might be able to find a cure for cancer, spinal cord injury, etc. Just imagine if you were in a wheelchair and being able to walk again! Or seeing Ali cured of MS?

CON: Some feel that life begins when the sperm and egg join. And they consider this murder of unborn babies.


My take: I am a HARD CORE DEMOCRAT, and I fully support SCR. When are we going to start giving a damn about the people who are already HERE? These embryos(sp?) will be thrown out anyway, why not use them to better mankind?

I just don't know, all I know is if Bush says no to federal funding, he is out in 2004!

John Kerry/Jim Jeffords in 2004

QTE

[CRMSNTiDEGRL717]

I'm for SCR!!

[Little32]

I am with you QTE. While I would never have an abortion myself, I believe in a woman's right to choose. In that, if women are going to continue to have abortions, why should scientists not search for potential cures for some pretty devastating diseases in the materials that are extracted.

Republicans seem to contradict themselves at every turn. No abortion, but hey let's definitely enforce that death penalty.

[JinglesSpr99]

I am for it. We just started talk about this subject in my Psy. class. I think it comes down to the purpose and the scientist ethics when they do something that deep. But that is like anything else. I am for it.

[luvsong1913]

I am also for SCR. As a matter of fact, before my daughter was born last year, her father and I discussed having the cord blood stem cells saved in case our daughter needed them in the future. Unfortunately, I got my information on how to go about doing this a little too late and wasn't able to go through with it, but I still think it's a good idea. I hadn't really thought about whether it was ethical to use the stem cells from aborted fetuses, but I say if it can help improve or even save a life in the long run, go for it! (At least the life lost will not have been in vain.)

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S.H.A.D.E.
10-Lambda-SP00
Memphis Alumnae Chapter
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Lady of DSTinction

"Both tears and sweat are salty, but they render a different result. Tears will get you sympathy; sweat will get you change."

[1 Woman of Virtue]

I think you can also procure stem cells from other parts of the body, as in not necessarily needing an egg and sperm...does anyone know if this is true? If you can get the same results from using tissue from someone's arm, i'd rather that than to use the tissue of an aborted baby. also, has anyone heard that there are scientist who believe (and are actively working to proove) that an egg (human) can be fertilized without a man???

[luvsong1913]

Originally posted by 1 Woman of Virtue:
I think you can also procure stem cells from other parts of the body, as in not necessarily needing an egg and sperm...does anyone know if this is true? If you can get the same results from using tissue from someone's arm, i'd rather that than to use the tissue of an aborted baby.

Yes, it's true that stem cells can also be procured from adult tissues. However, stem cells obtained from human embryos have greater potential for producing many more different types of cells and tissues. Adult stem cells for all cell and tissue types have not yet been found in the adult human.

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S.H.A.D.E.
10-Lambda-SP00
Memphis Alumnae Chapter
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Lady of DSTinction

"Both tears and sweat are salty, but they render a different result. Tears will get you sympathy; sweat will get you change."

[Eclipse]

The SCR issue is very interesting to me and I am not sure where I stand on it. I certainly see the medical benefit that could be gained if a currently terminal illness is cured by this research. As I understand it, there are properties in stem cells that are not found in other cells after they have divided hundreds of times. I also see the potential dangers of people creating embryos (babies) for the express purpose of using them for research and or medical reasons. I can see the ads now "Ladies, sell 100s of your eggs--$50.00 each!" Now don't get me wrong, I am not totally against all SCR. I am 100% for using the stem cells from the unbilical (sp?) cord and/or placenta (can't remember which one) for research, but I've always had mixed feeling about the whole "we've fertlized these eggs and we don't want/need them any more so just throw them away." You can call it what ever you want, but to me that's like throwing away a baby. Also, I read in the paper yesterday that a research firm is trying to "create" an embryo by using the egg of a woman and fertilizing it by artifical means (i.e. no sperm). To me that just takes us one step closer to cloning and that is just sick!

[112Soul]

I'm just against it. I understand and respect the pro side but it doesn't feel right to me and it never will. I do support scientific research but not when it is too close to life.

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