Question

In your own words.Please give a response to each statement one for statement A and one for statement B. A response can be agree-disagree (why or why not). Or maybe anything you would like to add.

A)Stem cells have two important properties. First, they are able to reproduce themselves many times. Second, they can produce all the different cell types needed to make a human being, for instance heart cells, skin cells, nerve cells and so on. Stem cells can grow into brain cells, and as a result, have the potential to repair brain damage caused by neurological conditions, such as dementia (Alzheimer’s Society, 2020). Stem cell therapy for Alzheimer’s may be able to improve functional memory, regenerate neurons, improve overall functional recovery, and replace damaged cells with healthy cells (Cona, 2020). This would then potentially benefit the Alzheimer’s patient and their families by delaying the onset of the disease. Therefore, the patient wouldn’t lose their cognitive function and the family will be able to spend more time with their loved one and still remember them as how they were, not by their Alzheimer’s. While I see the ethical issues with this, I believe it is worth a shot. Why not try a therapy that can benefit the patient and their family.

B)The difference between disposing of embryos and other tissues is that embryos may one day become a life. Scott Gatz described it to NPR as feeling “as if our future children are showing up once a year to confront us” (Fraga, 2016). This is because they receive a letter from their IVF clinic once a year asking them to decide if the embryos should be stored, destroyed, donated to research, or donated to another couple. This is a hard choice to make for people in this situation. Destroying them is like killing future kids and donating them would mean that they no longer have access to embryos should they decide to have more kids later on. The same NPR article reports that many of these families come to see the embryos as human life, and some go so far as to have funerals for the embryos (Fraga, 2016). This is a complex issue that should be discussed more, it is hard to for these couples to decide what to do with the left over embryos and they should be better educated on what their options are in regard to this decision.

Answer 1

A. stem cells: Therapeutic application uses of stem cells are numerous and continue to grow in the field. Every disease is being treated by use of stem cells. recently a study carried out in which it was see that stem cells could successfully treat the parkinson damaged brain circuit in mouse. Many trials and treatments have been carried out in various life threatening diseases (cancer) and has shown significant cure and treatment. Many storage banks consider it as a biological insurance for the future disease prevention. Major cons of the storage would only come in situation where the disease is because of the genetic mutation as the cord will be mutated too.

Other ethical issues related to storage: research design and human trials, transparency of the use of the cord samples in sleected population, animals, race. Also how cost effective the treatment and its availability to human is questionable at times, what is the harm in the study and is it promising or over promising,.

All these things are questionable but if it can promise to treat a certain genetic or lifestyle, age related disease and there are chances that a person might get it then its a good way to invest in.

B. During the IVF proceedure multiple embryos are being made and the best is inserted in the womb and after it has been successfully placed other made up embyos are cryofreezed. But certain situations have arised in developed countries like US and canade where there are way more no. of cryofreezed embryos and parents have not been in contact with the preservation centres for more than 5 years and it is still questionable for them to whether abandon them or preserve them arising various religios and ethical issues. this is still debatable whether to preserve them or thaw "abandon them legally" if the the centre is exceeding the capacity and is not able to maintain it the they ideally should have the legal abandonment policy signed by he aprents themselves and law which helps and supports fertility centres. Also yearly manitenance by the parents/couple can be charged irrespective they are in the country or outsie the country or any situation. All he aspects of this situation are to be considered be it emotional, legal, ethical and religious then only a concrete solution can be found.