Right or Wrong? Stem Cells (Again)

Posted: 11/18/05

Right or Wrong?
Stem cell research (again)

This past week, my doctor told me that, in a few years, stem-cell research could lead to a cure for my illness. My brother objects to stem-cell research. How should I think about this medical development?

Stem-cell research is one of the major hot-button topics in American society today. Unfortunately, many people have formed their opinion on the subject without knowing what stem cells are or what the research means. The first step in thinking about the issue is to become informed about it. It is a complex issue, but many resources are available to aid in that education.

Briefly, a stem cell is a type of primitive, unspecialized cell, which has the potential to develop into a cell with a more specialized function, such as a blood cell, brain cell or heart tissue. Stem cells also have the potential to replenish themselves indefinitely through cell division. As a result, stem-cell research provides the possibility of developing these cells into replacements to aid in the treatment of devastating illnesses, such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, Lou Gehrig's disease, heart disease and others.

The major ethical issue concerns how these stem cells are collected. Although stem cells can be collected in limited amounts from adults or even from umbilical cord tissue, the primary source of these cells today is from human embryos. At present, the process of extracting the stem cells destroys the embryo. The primary moral argument centers on this destruction.

For many pro-life supporters, this issue basically is the same as abortion. The foundational belief is that life begins at conception, and thus the embryo is a human being with a soul. The destruction of that embryo to remove stem cells would be murder and unjustifiable for any reason. Groups such as Focus on the Family, the American Family Association and the Roman Catholic Church oppose all embryo stem-cell research based on this belief.

For others, the decision is not quite so black and white. Some struggle with attaching human soul status to the embryo. Others weigh the loss of an unimplanted embryo's potential against the potential to drastically improve the life of a fully developed but diseased human. They see a greater good of relieving pain and suffering balancing out the loss of embryos. To them, a carefully controlled approach to stem-cell research is valid. Groups such as the National Institutes of Health and the American Medical Association support such an approach.

An issue like stem-cell research actually can help a person define his or her methods of decision making. It forces one to confront concepts about whether the most important thing is following strict rules or if the end justifies the means. How significant is the idea of the greatest good, and what or who determines any definition of that good? How does love lead us to act? All of these concerns form the basis for vastly different methods of decision making.

Ultimately, you must define what the important issues are in the situation, consider the principle parties involved, and weigh the costs versus the benefits. A major component in this decision-making process is being able to sort out the myths and irrational fears that surround any type of medical research that appear to be beyond the grasp of those who are not medical professionals. Learning what the facts are and then using those facts to form an educated decision should be the goal of all those interested in such situations.

Van Christian, pastor

First Baptist Church

Comanche