President Ronald Reagan's death last week brought into the forefront of American thought a very controversial issue. Stem cell research, which Nancy Reagan is supporting, has the possibility of aiding those suffering from many diseases, including Alzheimer's. I know this area is a sticky one because many people are heavily invested in the diseases that could be helped or cured. I just think there is something intrinsically wrong in creating life to kill it. However one of the items those proponents of stem cell research are lobbying for is the right to use leftover fertilized eggs, from the invitro process, to conduct their studies. Here is one article and here is the other.
While I believe that stem cell research should go occur and when I have children I intend to both freeze their stem cells and donate to research (if possible), I am not sure it is wise for scientists and researchers to be harvesting eggs from unsuspecting parents. While I am sure that those parents will be given the information necessary to sign away a fertilized egg what is to stop doctors from harvesting too many eggs from a mother and fertilizing too many eggs so that they are left with fertilized eggs when the mother has successfully become pregnant? It is not the research I oppose; it is the means by which the research is happening. If the embryo is going to be discarded, by all means please study it, but if you are creating life only to end it… shame on you.
Today parents of a child who is diagnosed with a disease which can be aided through stem cell advancements can decide to have a child that is a genetic match to the first child. In this way the parents receive another child into their household, but also are able to save their current child. What is most disturbing about this is the fact that the Scientists can create a genetic match for invitro and brings to mind the movie GATACA. How long until we are choosing our children’s eye color on a routine basis? And make no mistake: it is already happening.
Perhaps someday I can believe that humans will become responsible for their actions. That they will realize we all die of something, even as medicine progresses so will the diseases we die from.
Please let me know if I'm dumb, or missing some important information. That is what the comments are for!!
Posted by 10lees at June 16, 2004 11:00 PM