Kendra LamalieEnglish 12Mrs. ReynoldsMarch 21, 2014Embryonic Stem Cells: Immoral or Necessary?Stem cells are becoming a powerful new tool for replacing damaged or destroyed tissue in different parts of the body. There are two basic types, embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Stem cells, present in the body, can generate exact facsimiles of themselves. They have the ability to build a series of specially designed cells such as heart muscle cells, liver tissue cells, brain tissue cells, etc. Embryonic stem cells are extracted from aborted fetuses or from embryos left over from in vitro fertilization. Adult stem cells are found in both children and adults. Adult stem cells can be used for a limited number of other cell types while embryonic stem cells are capable of individualizing into over two hundred cell types. Embryonic stem cell research is so controversial because society is judging whether or not taking stem cells from days-old embryos is unethical, or whether doctors should look past the disadvantages and do what is necessary to ultimately preserve many lives. While stem cell research has received an abundance of support from people who believe it has the potential to cure and remedy diseases, many others oppose embryonic stem cell research because it ultimately causes the destruction of an embryo, what they consider a human life. Which leads to the question: when does life begin? The answer is opinionated. Many people disagree about when life begins; some people believe that an embryo is human and others believe that they are not until the first heartbeat. For Robert P. George, member of the Council of Presidents on Bioethics, in the book Stem Cell Research “The buzz... middle of paper... the world is telling them to forget about the tragically ill and instead bring new life into this world and deny them even the medical care that could save their lives. In conclusion, it appears that the only lead in research to save lives is through an embryo, until another method is shown to be equivalent to or better than embryonic stem cells, there is no reason why scientists should be prevented from advance science to improve and save many lives.” cell is approximately zero. We don't know. It's a very interesting question and scientists are certainly looking into it” (Landis 77). Continued research on embryonic stem cells is needed to answer these questions. Why let them become medical waste when they can be used for a greater cause??