Literature Review.. In the process

Literature Review Title

It is amazing to think of all of the advancements that have been made, just in the past decade. Starting from technology, to medicine. If the most updated technology a person could own used to be a cell phone with an antenna larger than the phone itself, now there are portable computers in the from of ipads. Speaking in terms of medicine, with current research and technology, it could soon be possible to find cures for even the most detrimental diseases, such as cancer. For generations it has been on the news, stem cells are the answer, and with more research done, more treatment will become available. However, many are opposed to stem cell research because of the ethical issues that surround the ways stem cells are derived. 

With the research that has been done so far, many uses have been found for stem cells. As described in one of the articles, “Stem cells are of wide interest for medicine, because they have the potential, under suitable conditions, to develop into almost all of the different types of cells” (Wolfgang, 2005). There have been recent cases with real patients that have used stem cells as treatment, and it proved to be very effective. In this specific case, a teenager suffered from a spinal injury in a car accident. Her doctors told her that she would never be able to walk. However, after research was done, a team of doctors found a procedure involving a transplant of stem cells. This was a rare surgery that was “known as olfactory mucosa transplantation, involves transplantation of stem cells found in the nasal region into the injured area” (Hughes, 2004). After a couple months after the surgery, “ an MRI was conducted, physicians informed her that her spinal cord had begun healing and that 70 percent of the lesion had recovered into normal spinal tissue” (Hughes, 2004). Even though this was a rare procedure done, the use of stem cells proved to be effective in treating a spinal injury. Most cases involving stem cells are used in treating leukemia.

Even though stem cell research is currently a hot topic in the world of medicine, it is also a big topic discussed in politics over ethical issues. Many are opposed to any research and use of stem cells for treatment because of the way they are derived. This is because; “Embryonic stem cells are taken from a developing embryo at the blastocyst stage, destroying the embryo, a developing human life” (Wolfgang, 2005). However, “Embryonic stem cells have not yet been used for even one therapy, while adult stem cells have already been successfully used in numerous patients, including for cardiac infarction” (Wolfgang, 2005).  Those that advocate against stem cells research are not fully aware of the other ways stem cells can be derived. Yes, the stem cells that are most effective are the embryonic stem cells because they have not reached the stage of differentiation, however, there are multiple areas of stem cells that can be received.

Future research needs to be conducted in order to find the best treatments that are the most effective. Obama allowed the executive order to pass regarding the expansion of embryonic stem cell research in 2009. The federal judge, on the other hand, did not allow the order to go through because “it violated a ban on federal money being used to destroy embryos” (Harris, 2010). This action put a big halt on the world of medicine research, because under the Obama administration, stem cell research was allowed under federal law. Embryonic stem cells research is forbidden under federal law, but the government is willing to compromise to an extent. Without further research, no new advancements will be made. Research regarding stem cell should not be under the government rule. Science and politics should stay separate.

With all the research done thus far, it would be a shame to put it to a halt because the government banned further research. Treatment to diseases such as cancer have never been as close to being found as it is right now, which is why further research need to be done to perfect it.