While the arguments against embryonic stem cell research are at this point decades old and have at least for the time seemed to lose some of their vigor, there are still those who are deeply against the research. They are for the most part against this sort of research and treatment because they believe that using embryonic stem cells is tantamount to the killing of a human life and they believe that the growth of a blastocyst, from which embryonic stem cells are derived, is somehow equivalent to cloning a person and then killing them.
Blastocysts for Stem Cell Research are not Humans
It is important to understand that the blastocysts that are created in labs in order to do embryonic stem cell research are not fetuses. They are not implanted in a woman’s womb and have no recognizable human form or features. They are in fact growing in a petri dish in a lab and most people do not in any way, shape or form resemble human life. This information is readily available to anyone who wants to go and find it, but considering how emotional this issue can be, changing anyone’s mind who is firmly planted against the ethics of stem cell research is almost impossible.
Yet, as we have focused on this particular ethical issue a more pressing and dangerous ethical dilemma has developed in the stem cell treatment community. This one has started to receive some national attention and the FDA has finally stepped in to try to crack down on it, but to the wider population, it still goes unnoticed. This ethical dilemma is the introduction of a number of clinics throughout the country that employ unscrupulous and dangerous methods when it comes to delivering stem cell therapies. Some of these clinics are outright frauds, while others are offering treatments that have no medical effectiveness at inordinately large financial costs.
The Ethical Problem Presented by Some Stem Cell Clinics
In 2018 the stem cell industry was valued at $755 million and over the next ten years, it is expected to grow to around $11 billion. With this tremendous amount of money to be made it is no wonder that a number of individuals have gotten into the industry solely to make a profit with no regard to whether the treatments they offer work. Luckily, government agencies have begun cracking down on clinics like this, and it will be more difficult in the future for unscrupulous clinics to open, but regardless this is where the true ethical dilemma behind stem cell research and marketing treatment lies.
It is unfortunate but wherever there is money to be made you will find individuals who are looking to exploit the system to whatever degree they can and stem cell therapy is no different in this regard. You can see it in the clinics that have opened up over the past few years and the case of tainted stem cells making people sick. When the dollar is the primary motivating factor in regard to any type of healthcare you wind up with a system that can be easily corrupted and exploited.
Hopefully where stem cell treatment is going is not in the same direction that we saw drug rehabilitation centers take over the past 5 years, where there was an explosion of treatment centers that opened simply to make a buck with no regard for the patients that they were supposed to be serving. In this case, the government did step in and cracked down on these treatment centers, but the damage that was done over this 5 year period was costly to the individuals involved, not only monetarily but also physically. Stem cell treatment does not need to go this route and with the right guidance and the right reflection, it will hopefully avoid some of the pitfalls that come with an exponentially growing industry.
Need More Information on Stem Cell Therapy?
If you are looking to better educate yourself on the benefits of stem cell therapy, then call Stem Cell Authority toll-free today. Since there is so much information and misinformation out there in regard to stem cells it is important to get all of the facts before you make a decision to undergo treatment. At Stem Cell Authority we can help you do just that, so give us a call today.
