02 March 2009

Ground-breaking stem cell therapy trial

A Glasgow-based team has announced plans to trial a pioneering stem cell therapy, which they hope could help reverse the symptoms of stroke. The article said: 'The trial has been fiercely opposed by pro-life groups, who believe that an embryo has equivalent moral status to a child or adult human, because the stem cells involved are obtained from aborted embryos,' implying that the stem cells used were sourced from pre-implantation embryos.Throughout the article, the stem cells are referred to as 'embryonic', however it has been brought to our attention that the research in fact involves stem cells derived from aborted fetuses, which, although still viewed as controversial by some anti-abortion groups, do not involve the creation of embryos for the sole purpose of harvesting stem cells.
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5 comments:

  1. Ross McConMarch 2, 2009 at 6:50 PM

    What do u think about the old, "taking the stem cells from aborted fetuses Smarx??"

    Personally i think it is wrong because then it encourages abortions.

    ReplyDelete
  2. ScottMarch 2, 2009 at 9:02 PM

    My first comment, why thank you :D I guess it can be wrong and sort of right. Wrong for the point you made, but right in that we can donate our bodies to be researched on/organs donated to benefit others, just like the embryos as they can essentially benefit others (taken stem cells out of them etc). Also the sanctity of life arguement comes into play i guess, in that should you do such thing to a life that is/was sacred? etc

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ross McConMarch 3, 2009 at 12:42 PM

    Yes indeed...

    Did we ever look at the views of like Utilitarianism and Natural Law on stem cell research/cloning??

    The Utilitarianism's view . . .
    If someone's life is being saved it is good. BUT Utilitarianism says that no life is worth more than any others. Hmm. I suppose it depends on when they believe that life begins!
    At birth or at Conception


    What do you think Skid?
    (Y)

    ReplyDelete
  4. ScottMarch 3, 2009 at 6:32 PM

    becoming quite the debate mr McCon. I would say that Util would be challenged again, as the therapy at the end of this could hopefully lead to a reverse in stroke symptons, thus benefiting many people : greatest pleasure for greastest amount. However, you are destroying the embroys by taking the stem cells out of it ( i thinks) thus great pain for a great amount (if you believe life has already started for them).But yea erm Util says that we are all equal and that should always be considered, espicially in this matter i guess.
    I wonder what Mr.Nesbitt thinks :O

    ReplyDelete
  5. M NesbittMarch 11, 2009 at 9:41 AM

    http://www.rsrevision.com/Alevel/ethics/genetic_engineering/ethics.htm

    This link says what the different theories say about genetic engineering - its one of the links from our website

    ReplyDelete

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