Some Definitions

eth-i-cal: (adj.) 1. Relating to morals, especially as concerning human conduct. 2. Morally correct.

le-gal: (adj.) 1. Of or based on law. 2. Appointed or required by law. 3. Permitted by law.

so-cial: (adj.) 1. Of or relating to society and its organization. 2. Concerned with the mutual relations of human beings. 3. Living in organized communities.

pol-i-cy: (n.) 1. Course or principle of action adopted or proposed by a government, party, business or individual, etc.

Definitions adapted from the Oxford Desk Dictionary and Thesaurus.

 

Stem Cell Research: Beyond Hype, Real Hope

The three broad categories of mammalian stem cells exist: embryonic stem cells, derived from blastocysts, adult stem cells, which are found in adult tissues, and cord blood stem cells, which are found in the umbilical cord.

In a developing embryo, stem cells are able to differentiate into all of the specialized embryonic tissues.

In adult organisms, stem cells and progenitor cells act as a repair system for the body, replenishing specialized cells.

As stem cells can be readily grown and transformed into specialised cells with characteristics consistent with cells of various tissues such as muscles or nerves through cell culture, their use in medical therapies has been proposed.

In particular, embryonic cell lines, autologous embryonic stem cells generated through therapeutic cloning, and highly plastic adult stem cells from the umbilical cord blood or bone marrow are touted as promising candidates.

Adult stem cells are undifferentiated cells found throughout the body that divide to replenish dying cells and regenerate damaged tissues.

Also known as somatic stem cells, they can be found in children, as well as adults. A great deal of adult stem cell research has focused on clarifying their capacity to divide or self-renew indefinitely and their differentiation potential.

Research Ethics and Stem Cells

Stem cells show potential for many different areas of health and medical research, and studying them can help us understand how they transform into the dazzling array of specialized cells that make us what we are. Some of the most serious medical conditions, such as cancer and birth defects, are caused by problems that occur somewhere in this process. A better understanding of normal cell development will allow us to understand and perhaps correct the errors that cause these medical conditions.

Research on one kind of stem cell—human embryonic stem cells—has generated much interest and public debate. Pluripotent stem cells (cells that can develop into many different cell types of the body) are isolated from human embryos that are a few days old. Pluripotent stem cell lines have also been developed from fetal tissue (older than 8 weeks of development).

For More Information

The following links to other Internet sites are offered only for the convenience of World Wide Web users.

"Stem Cells: A Pluripotent Challenge," by Chris MacDonald, Ph.D. (40 kb PDF file) (as appearing in BioScan Vol. 13, Iss. 4, Fall 2001. BioScan is the newsletter of the Toronto Biotechnology Initiative)

Genetics & Ethics (very popular site; resources compiled by Bryn Williams-Jones)

Canada's Stem Cell Network: Ethical, Legal, Social and Policy Issues

DoNoHarm
(from The Coalition of Americans for Research Ethics)

Stem Cell Research and Applications: Monitoring the Frontiers of Biomedical Research 
(a report of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Institute for Civil Society)

Ethical Issues in Human Stem Cell Research

Summary

Volume I

Volume II
(Report and Recommendations of the National Bioethics Advisory Commission, dated September, 1999)

Cell Research and Applications: Monitoring the Frontiers of Biomedical Research
(Produced by American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Institute for Civil Society, November, 1999)

"Should federal funds be used in research on discarded embryos?"
(Debate in Physicians Weekly)

Stem Cell Research
(From The Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity)

"Research for Clinical Use of Embryonic Stem Cells: Risks and Opportunities," by Axel Haverich

"Stem Cell Research, The Law, Ethics And Common Sense", 

Biotechnology: Ethics and the Industry (from Industry Canada)

Biotech Ethics Bookstore

Stem Cell Articles, at Bioethics.net

Biotech Ethics (academic research project)

Stemcells: Testimony & Background Materials (President's Council on Bioethics)

Regarding Advanced Cell Technology's Nov. 25 announcement that they'd cloned a human embryo in order to harvest stem cells:

The Ethical Considerations, by Ronald M. Green, writing for Scientific American (Green is chair of the ethics advisory board of Advanced Cell Technology)

The Ethicist's New Clothes By William Saletan writing for Slate (this article is from August, before ACT's announcement, but is relevant)

The following articles are not about stem cells, but about a related issue...

"Should Human Cloning be Permitted?", by Dr. Patricia A. Baird

"Yes, Human Cloning should be Permitted", by Chris MacDonald, Ph.D [Note: this article is not really in favour of cloning...it's really just a plea for better arguments!]

 

 

 
Life Legal Defense Foundation supports ethical stem cell research, such as stem cell research using adult and umbilical cord stem cells, which have already produced many cures and therapies.

Quotations:

"...it is ridiculous for people who have already decided that it is moral to kill babies in the womb to show some squeamishness about destroying human embryos in a petri dish. Hell, man, once you decide to become a child-killer, their ages no longer matter. Or the numbers. Damnation of your soul is completed with the first one." Charley Reese 1
"...research involving human pluripotent stem cells...promises new treatments and possible cures for many debilitating diseases and injuries, including Parkinson's disease, diabetes, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, burns and spinal cord injuries. The NIH believes the potential medical benefits of human pluripotent stem cell technology are compelling and worthy of pursuit in accordance with appropriate ethical standards."  National Institutes of Health news release. 2
"Cal Thomas' article against stem cell research....is not particularly useful, because it does not deal with his fundamental belief that human personhood begins at conception. Similarly, articles by medical groups that promote stem cell research are not helpful, because they do not touch on their fundamental belief that embryos are not human persons. If there is to be any hope of resolving these issues, we must debate when human personhood begins. If we can reach a near consensus on this, then abortion, in-vitro fertilization, stem cell research and other debates will neatly resolve themselves." Comment letter to the Jewish World Review
The web site of CovenantNews.com on 2001-AUG-28 featured articles about stem cell research. Headings were:: "Murder by Abortion," "Get Your Human Sacrifice Grant Here," The file name is "murder.htm."


Google

 
Research in the human stem cell field grew out of findings by Canadian scientists Ernest A. McCulloch and James E. Till in the 1960s

 

Stem cell treatments Medical researchers believe that stem cell therapy has the potential to radically change the treatment of human disease.

A number of adult stem cell therapies already exist, particularly bone marrow transplants that are used to treat leukaemia.

In the future, medical researchers anticipate being able to use technologies derived from stem cell research to treat a wider variety of diseases including cancer, parkinson's disease, spinal cord injuries, and muscle damage, amongst a number of other impairments and conditions.

However, there still exists a great deal of social and scientific uncertainty surrounding stem cell research, which could possibly be overcome through public debate and future research.

Stem cells, however, are already used extensively in research, and some scientists do not see cell therapy as the first goal of the research, but see the investigation of stem cells as a goal worthy in itself.

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