In this blog post, we will look at the possibility of embryonic stem cell therapy and the ethical controversies surrounding it, and whether it could be the answer to curing incurable diseases.

 

The concept of embryonic stem cells and the current state of research

Recently, interest in embryonic stem cell research has been growing again after a study was published that used embryonic stem cells to restore vision to blind patients. According to the medical journal Lancet, 18 patients with “dry age-related macular degeneration,” a retinal disease that causes blindness in the elderly, and “Stargardt’s macular dystrophy,” a rare retinal disease, were successfully restored to vision by transplanting retinal pigment epithelial cells made from embryonic stem cells. Thirteen of the patients who participated in this clinical trial have improved their vision, which is considered to be a case in which embryonic stem cells show great potential for treating rare or incurable diseases.
Embryonic stem cells are a type of stem cell that has the ability to differentiate into any tissue. In particular, embryonic stem cells are derived from fertilized eggs formed by the fertilization of a male sperm and a female egg. Embryonic stem cells, which can be extracted from pre-implantation embryos or from fetuses that have been aborted between the eighth and twelfth week of pregnancy, theoretically have the potential to differentiate into all the cells that make up the human body. So, do these embryonic stem cells only have positive aspects?

 

Arguments in favor of embryonic stem cells

Proponents of embryonic stem cells support the research and use of embryonic stem cells for a number of reasons. First, they argue that an embryo within 14 days of fertilization is merely a mass of cells and not a human being. However, this argument may be a deliberate attempt to consider the embryo as a “mass of cells” in order to avoid ethical issues. There are no essential changes in the process of a fertilized egg developing into an embryo, fetus, and newborn, only changes in form. The proponents’ argument is not valid, as dignity is not increased as the form becomes more distinct, but is in the life itself.
Second, proponents argue that embryonic stem cells can help treat incurable diseases. Saving dying lives is a very valuable thing, but it can only be justified when it does not involve sacrificing other lives or is ethically problematic. Since an embryo can also be considered a life, it cannot be justified to sacrifice other lives to treat incurable diseases. If there is another way to treat an incurable disease that does not raise ethical concerns, it is reasonable to develop that method further.
Third, proponents argue that embryonic stem cell research helps economic development. However, allowing embryonic research for economic reasons devalues human dignity and risks creating an unethical society. If materialistic thinking becomes prevalent, the wealth that it brings is likely to corrupt society. Therefore, this argument is not a sufficient reason to support embryonic stem cell research.

 

Arguments against embryonic stem cells

There are four main reasons for opposing embryonic stem cells.
First, there is the ethical issue. Proponents try to avoid ethical issues by considering embryos as a mass of cells for convenience. Embryonic stem cells are defined as cells that have lost their totipotency by removing the outer layer and have only pluripotency, the ability to differentiate into various organs, but there are also studies that show that they can form the outer layer again if they are provided with an appropriate culture environment. This means that it is impossible to deny that an embryo is essentially human life. Therefore, research on embryonic stem cells cannot be free from ethical issues related to the use of life.
Second, embryonic stem cells are not the only way to treat incurable diseases. In addition to embryonic stem cells, there are adult stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells. Adult stem cells can be extracted from the umbilical cord blood of the mother or the bone marrow of an adult, and they have the advantage of no immune rejection and a low risk of teratoma. In addition, induced pluripotent stem cells are cells that have been injected with specific genes and proteins into somatic cells to return them to an early stage with characteristics similar to those of embryonic stem cells. These cells do not cause immune rejection and are easy to find somatic cell donors. As such, the reasons for using embryonic stem cells are becoming increasingly less because there are alternatives that do not have ethical issues.
Third, there is the issue of the therapeutic safety of embryonic stem cells. In 2014, clinical trials using embryonic stem cells were approved in Japan, but were later suspended due to concerns about side effects and the confirmation of successful treatment using induced pluripotent stem cells. Clinical trials using embryonic stem cells are difficult to ensure safety in actual treatment due to the possibility of rejection or the development of teratomas. In contrast, there were almost no side effects in treatments using induced pluripotent stem cells.
Fourth, the side effects and risks of the egg collection process. Embryonic stem cells are collected using fertilized eggs obtained through the in vitro fertilization process, and during this process, women may experience side effects such as abnormally enlarged ovaries due to the use of ovulation induction agents. Long-term use of ovulation induction agents may increase the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and ovarian cancer, and there is also a risk of respiratory distress or heart attack during the process of collecting eggs through general anesthesia. It is inappropriate to use such dangerous methods to obtain embryonic stem cells.

 

Conclusion

So far, we have looked at the concept of embryonic stem cells and the positions of the supporters and opponents. Embryonic stem cells involve ethical issues, are not the only way to treat incurable diseases, and have several problems in terms of treatment safety. In addition, there are many side effects and risks for women in the process of egg collection. Therefore, research and experiments using embryonic stem cells should be stopped.