Stem Cells
& Tomorrow's Human
Ethical Issues
On March 9th 2009, President Barack Obama signed an executive order that allowed the secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS) through the director of the National Institute of Health (NIH) to, “…support and conduct responsible, scientifically worthy, human stem cell research, including embryonic stem cell research, to the extent permitted by law.”
(Citation 28)
Ethical Issues
Legal Issues
Embryonic stem cells are at the root of the controversy that comes with stem cell research. In order to obtain pluripotent stem cells, an embryo must be destroyed. The view of when life begins is a hotly debated issue. Those, in society, who believe that life begins at fertilization, oppose research done on human embryonic stem cells because they are ‘alive’. Others who oppose the view that zygotes are the beginning of life usually argue that, “…the cells that comprise the early embryo are a bundle of homogeneous cells that exist in the same membrane but do not form a human organism because the cells do not function in a coordinated way to regulate and preserve a single life”. Additionally, the opposition may add that the embryos were donated by In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) clinics with the consent of the donors because they wouldn’t have survived the pregnancy.
In public opinion, there will always be a clash in views on whether the topic is right or wrong because society is comprised of a variety of people who have varying views. With human embryonic stem cells research, gains and losses must be weighed. Preserving the ‘life’ of embryos decreases the research opportunities that could create treatments that save lives. Utilizing embryos, which are unsuitable left overs from IVF trials, could lead to breakthroughs.
(Citation 26, 27)
Executive Order 13505
Sherley v. Sebelius
After the NIH wrote guidelines on how to conduct human embryonic stem cell research, James Sherley and Theresa Deisher sued the head of the USDHHS, Kathleen Sebelius, and the director of the NIH, Francis Collins, in August 2009. The plaintiffs were strongly opposed the use of embryonic stem cells in research.
In August 2010, Judge Royce Lamberth of the US District Court for the District of Columbia ordered a halt for 17 days of all experiments that were financially supported by the NIH. An appeals court swiftly overturned Judge Lamberth’s order.
On January 7th 2013, the Supreme Court dismissed the plaintiff’s appeal that would argue for cutting government funding of embryonic stem cell research. The Supreme Court’s decision shows that the government will continue to support human embryonic stem cell research.
(Citation 29)
Plaintiff James Sherley (Image Citation 23)
Defendant Kathleen Sebelius (Image Citation 24)
(Citation 31)
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