You are right in saying that stem cell research seems to offer potential blessing and that it’s sometimes considered unethical or immoral. This sounds like a strange combination.

What are stem cells?

Stem cells are “nonspecialized” cells that have the capacity to mature into a variety of tissue. Some, such as embryonic cells, are human “master” cells that have the potential to grow into any one of the body’s more than 200 cell types, like those of human organs, bones, and tissues. Using stem cells seems to offer great potential for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injuries, and strokes. Because of their ability to grow into almost any kind of cell, the hope is to replace damaged cells with them. Brain cells damaged by strokes or organ cells hurt by radiation or chemotherapy, for example, might be replaced with healthy stem cells that adapt to the affected area and become fully functioning healthy cells. No wonder billions of dollars are being poured into this research!

Where do they come from?

Stem cells come from three main sources: adult cells (especially bone marrow), umbilical cords (extracted during pregnancy and stored in cell banks similar to blood banks), and embryos (extracted from laboratory-fertilized human eggs during the earliest stages of life when the embryo is referred to as a blastocyst).

There is no shortage of adult or umbilical cord stem cells for research purposes. But obtaining these types of cells can take precious time, involve expensive procedures, and involve some painful isolation of bone marrow. These cells also have limited potency or adaptability and can result in some rejection by immune systems when attempts are made to insert them into another human. Researchers understandably look toward embryonic cells as a rich source of stem cells that can be kept alive indefinitely, grown in cultures, and used to produce all kinds of human cells.

Much of the debate has to do with federal funding assistance for stem cell research, especially when using embryonic cells. Our focus here is on the moral issues involved.

When is this wrong?