Within the past few years, scientist have made several breakthroughs with Human Stem Cells. These breakthroughs have catapulted the issue of Stem Cell research into the middle of a national debate. Most people have no problem with the research itself, however the source of the Stem cells (adult or human embryos) used in research is the primary cause of the debate. Some people fell that destroying an embryo is comparable to murder, even if the research it promotes may help people with serious illnesses. Other believe that an embryo is not a person and therefore research on an embryo is the same as research on any other group of cells.While private companies are not banned from using human embryos as a source of stem cells, the U.S. government is debating whether or not to fund such research with taxpayer funds. I believe that the federal government should fund stem cell research.Doctors now have three sources of stem cells available to them: bone marrow, mobilized bone marrow or peripheral blood, and umbilical cord blood. Bone marrow has traditionally been used as a source of stem cells, but research is proving that cord blood may be an excellent alternative source. Cord blood can be utilized for the treatment of many diseases, including leukemia, sickle cell anemia, and Hodgkin’s disease. The first successful cord blood transplant took place in 1988 when a newborn’s cord blood was used in a life saving stem cell transplant for her older brother .Named the Breakthrough of the year for 1999, human embryonic stem cell research may indeed have the potential to benefit many people who suffer from serious debilitating conditions. Because embryonic stem cells can develop into many different types of tissues, researchers hope these cells can replace tissues whose function has been lost as a result of injury or disease. For example, someone with diabetes might be given a replacement of pancreatic cells that produce normal ...
