Stem Cells

Advancements in genetic engineering has been one of the most talked about subjects for many years. It has scared some but at the same time intrigued others. This question how far is too far, will play a big issue in years to come and even now for that mater. What people do not understand is that the research that is being done today is being done to help cure incurable diseases like the Aids virus and Cancer and it is not being done to create at perfect utopian society where everyone is the same and equal in all aspects.

Stem cell research has been around since the early 1980's and since its development many advances have been made. In the beginning they could only speculate what they could do with the cells. They have come farther than anyone cold imagine when they cloned dolly the sheep in 1997 and since then it has become a popular subject.

People fore the most part are open to the idea that stem cells could be the cure for many diseases but it scares them to thing that since scientists can change the cells in a kidney that why couldn't they manipulate the cells to make a perfect human. Though the argument is sound and logical it is unlikely that in the near future of ever for that matter that our government would allow such things to happen. Though the slow downward spiral of the development of stem cells is inevitable it is not of any real threat to our generation.

President Bush's views on stem cell research are probably the best way to go about studying the cells without the most complications. In 2001 he proposed that only some cells be researched. CNN put it this way,

"The president said scientists have told him that research on the 60 exist ing stem cell lines has great promise that could lead to breakthrough therapies and cures. This allows us to explore the promise and potential of stem cell research without crossing a fundamental moral line"(cnn.com).

This is probably the most practical way of looking at the research but recently Bush changed his policy on government funding of Stem Cell research. His new policy allows the development of stem cells to continue but now cuts government funding from the picture. Ken Lisaius the White House Spokesman put it like this "The president remains committed to exploring the promise of stem cell research but at the same time continues to believe strongly that we should not cross a fundamental moral line by funding or encouraging the