What are the disadvantages to Stem Cell Research?

Answer 1

Human stem cell research requires the destruction of human embryos and/or therapeutic coning, which brings up ethical and religious issues. "Many religions, including Buddhism and Christianity do not believe in this harm , or that it destroys the afterlife."- Whoever said this is stupid, Christians do believe this is wrong because its close to abortion. Its just the same as destroying a human person. there is good and bad to this research.

Recent advances in stem cell harvesting have made the religious argument like the one above no longer relevant as abortion issues no longer apply.

March 2009

Mount Sinai Hospital's Dr. Andras Nagy discovered a new method of creating stem cells that could lead to possible cures for devastating diseases including spinal cord injury, macular degeneration, Diabetes and Parkinson's disease. The study, published by Nature, accelerates stem cell technology and provides a road map for new clinical approaches to regenerative medicine. "This new method of generating stem cells does not require embryos as starting points and could be used to generate cells from many adult tissues such as a patient's own skin cells."

The research was funded by the Canadian Stem Cell Network and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (United States).

Answer 2

There are no disadvantages, only advantages. Some might insist a disadvantage MIGHT be that embryonic stem cells must be harvested from embryos. While this is true, these are usually leftover embryos from fertilization treatments or unwanted, aborted embryos. No one harvests stem cells from wanted embryos, and the potential boon to our species is enormous.

Answer 3

Stem cell therapy used on Heart disease patients can make their coronary arteries become narrower, according to new research. A study was abandoned when scientists discovered that although participants' heart function improved, there was an unexpectedly high rate of coronary artery narrowing. The researchers, from Seoul University, South Korea, were carrying out a study on 27 patients who had been diagnosed with myocardial infarction.

One major disadvantage is that culturing adult stem cells in-vitro is very difficult and has not been possible for some types. Also they have a very short life, when cultured in-vitro as compared to embryonic cells.

Answer 4

Stem cell research exploits fetuses and a mother's eggs

Answer 5

it maybe considered unethical; those who have religions stating that only their God has the right to make life may believe that cloning and stem cells are wrong.

Answer 6

Some common arguments for banning stem cell research are that it requires the destruction of a human embryo, it may be misused, and lastly people will start to play "god".