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Stem cell ethics and politics

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Amit Sahoo
Amit Sahoo

This document discusses stem cells, stem cell therapy, and the ethical and political dilemmas surrounding stem cell research. It provides background on what stem cells are, how stem cell therapy works and its advantages. However, extracting stem cells from human embryos requires their destruction and poses an ethical dilemma between advancing medical research and respecting human life. The document examines different views on the moral status of human embryos and how political decisions can influence stem cell research.

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STEM CELL: AN Ethical & Political Dilemma Aum Sri Sai Ram
What Are Stem Cells? • Stem cells an undifferentiated cell of a multicellular organism that is capable of giving rise to indefinitely more cells of the same type, and from which certain other kinds of cell arise by differentiation. • Stem cells begin as "blanks" without a dedicated task, but with an ability to become specialized.
Stem Cell Therapy • Stem-cell therapy is the use of stem cells to treat or prevent a disease or condition. • Bone marrow transplant is the most widely used stem-cell therapy, but some therapies derived from umbilical cord blood are also in use. • Human clinical trials show that these new cells go to the diseased or injured body part and begin to generate healthy cells and tissue; the cells are especially successful because they contain the exact DNA of the patient, preventing cell rejection.
Why Stem Cell Therapy Is Advantageous? • Bone marrow transplant is the most widely used stem-cell therapy, but some therapies derived from umbilical cord blood are also in use. • Immune to immune attack: If patients receive the products of their own stem cells, they will not mount an immune response. • Available: Some types, like blood stem cells, are easy to find. • Partly specialized: That reduces the amount of outside direction needed to create specialized cells. • Flexible: Adult stem cells may form other tissue types. Last fall, scientists reported that skin and blood stem cells both produced cells that look like neurons -- in the lab.
How Far is it Proved? • Creation of stem cell was an age-old process prevalent in ancient India, the cardiologist said and cited instances of queen Gandhari delivering 100 Kauravas, after sage Vyas divided a ball of flesh into that many parts, kept them in pots, treated with herbs and ghee and kept them in a cool chamber. • ‘Stem cell therapy a boon for patients ’ “Cardiologist G. Subrahmanyam says embryonic stem cells derived from the inner mass of blastocysts can renew indefinitely when cultured and have great potential for alleviating symptoms or even curing paralysis, diabetes, Alzheimer and Parkinson’s diseases”
Then What Is The Problem? • The ethical dilemma Embryonic stem cell research poses a moral dilemma. It forces us to choose between two moral principles: The duty to prevent or alleviate suffering The duty to respect the value of human life • So which moral principle should have the upper hand in this situation? The answer hinges on how we view the embryo. Does it have the status of a person?
Lets Look at The socio-ethical and legal aspects of stem cell research and related therapies. 1. Respect for human life 2. Human dignity 3. Status of the human embryo
Lets discuss on some Context 1. The embryo has full moral status from fertilization onwards 2. There is a cut-off point at 14 days after fertilization 3. The embryo has increasing status as it develops 4. The embryo has no moral status at all
Lets Look at Political Influence on this matter • On August 9, 2001, President George W. Bush announced his decision on the federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, and he pleased neither scientists nor the stalwart opponents of research.

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Stem cell ethics and politics

  • 1. STEM CELL: AN Ethical & Political Dilemma Aum Sri Sai Ram
  • 2. What Are Stem Cells? • Stem cells an undifferentiated cell of a multicellular organism that is capable of giving rise to indefinitely more cells of the same type, and from which certain other kinds of cell arise by differentiation. • Stem cells begin as "blanks" without a dedicated task, but with an ability to become specialized.
  • 3. Stem Cell Therapy • Stem-cell therapy is the use of stem cells to treat or prevent a disease or condition. • Bone marrow transplant is the most widely used stem-cell therapy, but some therapies derived from umbilical cord blood are also in use. • Human clinical trials show that these new cells go to the diseased or injured body part and begin to generate healthy cells and tissue; the cells are especially successful because they contain the exact DNA of the patient, preventing cell rejection.
  • 4. Why Stem Cell Therapy Is Advantageous? • Bone marrow transplant is the most widely used stem-cell therapy, but some therapies derived from umbilical cord blood are also in use. • Immune to immune attack: If patients receive the products of their own stem cells, they will not mount an immune response. • Available: Some types, like blood stem cells, are easy to find. • Partly specialized: That reduces the amount of outside direction needed to create specialized cells. • Flexible: Adult stem cells may form other tissue types. Last fall, scientists reported that skin and blood stem cells both produced cells that look like neurons -- in the lab.
  • 5. How Far is it Proved? • Creation of stem cell was an age-old process prevalent in ancient India, the cardiologist said and cited instances of queen Gandhari delivering 100 Kauravas, after sage Vyas divided a ball of flesh into that many parts, kept them in pots, treated with herbs and ghee and kept them in a cool chamber. • ‘Stem cell therapy a boon for patients ’ “Cardiologist G. Subrahmanyam says embryonic stem cells derived from the inner mass of blastocysts can renew indefinitely when cultured and have great potential for alleviating symptoms or even curing paralysis, diabetes, Alzheimer and Parkinson’s diseases”
  • 6. Then What Is The Problem? • The ethical dilemma Embryonic stem cell research poses a moral dilemma. It forces us to choose between two moral principles: The duty to prevent or alleviate suffering The duty to respect the value of human life • So which moral principle should have the upper hand in this situation? The answer hinges on how we view the embryo. Does it have the status of a person?
  • 7. Lets Look at The socio-ethical and legal aspects of stem cell research and related therapies. 1. Respect for human life 2. Human dignity 3. Status of the human embryo
  • 8. Lets discuss on some Context 1. The embryo has full moral status from fertilization onwards 2. There is a cut-off point at 14 days after fertilization 3. The embryo has increasing status as it develops 4. The embryo has no moral status at all
  • 9. Lets Look at Political Influence on this matter • On August 9, 2001, President George W. Bush announced his decision on the federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, and he pleased neither scientists nor the stalwart opponents of research.