Stem cells

Stem cells are cells that are taken from embryos and coaxed into a variety of different adult cells in a labrotory. Stem cells may also be derived from adult skin cells although this is not certian. It is thought that stem cells can cure diseases such as Parkinson's and cancer, but this is not proven yet. Lots of information on stem cells can be found at http://www.bedfordresearch.org/stemcell/stemcell.php?item=stemcell_faqs#11. Many people think that ideology shouldn't drive science, and I think that this is true to an extent. There are some things that science should not be allowed to do, just because it goes against morals that humans have held for centuries. Even the harshest gangs like The Aryan Brotherhood forbid their members from killing children. In my opinion, an embryo is the beginning of a child and should not be killed for scientific purposes, especially because there is a very real possibility that adult skin cells can be used instead. However, I find no harm in taking the umbilical cords from births, or the spinal cords from stillbirths in order to save lives. To me, it seems completely illogical to kill the beginnings of a human being when you could just develop adult skin cell possiblities instead. Many research industries however, use embryonic stem cells because the technology is developed and they are extremely flexible. Embryonic stem cells however, are often rejected as foriegn tissue, and have ethical issues. Adult skin cells have very few ethical altercations, but the technology still has to be developed for them to be used. Science can be a very dangerous weapon, or a miraculous blessing, so I think that our nation's policy should drive it, so science doesn't become corrupt. We may miss out on some discoveries, but I think that the misuse that will be avoided will make it all worth it.