This is one of the most controversial questions posed in the last century. The issue is simple. Should the federal government fund embryo stem cell research? The answer is extremely complex. At the heart of this controversy, is whether or not, it is morally ethical to use stem cells derived from human embryos to possibly discover the cure and treatment for many diseases such as Diabetes, Stroke, Cancer, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's, to name just a few.

"The discovery of human pluripotent stem cells, the most basic building blocks of the human body, is a major scientific breakthrough, the full value of which cannot be overstated," said Nobel Laureate Paul Berg, Ph.D., in a recent press release on behalf of the American Society for Cell Biology (2). Since they were first isolated in 1998, stem cells have shown the potential to dramatically change medical research and therapies (2).

Embryonic stem cells are the very early cells that still have the potential to evolve into any type of tissue or organ. In the laboratory they can be coaxed into becoming brain cells, muscle cells, nerve cells, blood cells, etc., according to Christine Morris in an article written fo

"National Institutes of Health to Fund Destructive Human Embryonic Stem Cell

--- Audio News Conference. "American Society for Cell Biology Holds

The National Bioethics Advisory Commission has advised President Clinton that they believe both techniques should be used. They feel that the ethical goal of medicine to heal, prevent disease, and do research would be compromised otherwise (1071).

The opposition to this research comes from Anti-abortion groups, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, The Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity and seventy U.S. Congressmen among others. Their position is that it is wrong to permit research that requires the destruction of human embryos to obtain their stem cells. The crux of their beliefs is human life begins at conception. To them, this research is on the same level as the experiments that were perpetrated by the Nazi's in World War II. A press release from Do No Harm: The Coalition of Americans for Research Ethics says, "this research requires the deliberate destruction of human beings in order to obtain the raw materials for research " (1). They assert the research is not only ethically and morally wrong, but it is illegal as well. The current congressional ban on federally funded research prohibits "research in which a human embryo or embryos are destroyed, discarded, or knowingly subjected to risk of injury or death "(1). The destruction of the live embryos is necessary to obtain the stem cells. The Coalition believes the government is side stepping this ban by saying it will fund the research on stem cells, but it will not fund the destruction of the embryos (1). Seemingly, the way to resolve the issue for the government is by making a distinction between doing the research, and the source of materials to accomplish this research.

Some common words found in the essay are:
Issue Hearings, Research Ethics, John Hopkins, Cell Biology, University Wisconsin, Research Banned, Miami Herald, Human Dignity, President Clinton, Institute Health, stem cell, stem cells, cell research, stem cell research, aug 2000, 23 aug 2000, institute health, 23 aug, national institute, embryo stem, human life, 29 aug 2000, national institute health, obtain stem, obtain stem cells,
Approximate Word count = 1573
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)