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Right off hand I'd say you have a very smart Grandson. Must be a chip off the old block? At 12:08 AM 11/20/2000 -0500, you wrote: >Attention: PIEN chat room readers: >The following speech was made by a fifteen year old discussing the ethical >dilemma of stem cells from an embryo. It sums it up, in simple terms, better >than most summation articles I've seen! >****************************************** > Scenario: A woman really wants to have a child but because of >her >genes and chemistry she isn't allowed to by nature. So she seeks >scientific >help. They take her through a process called in-vitro fertilization, which >is when she has dozens of her eggs removed and fertilized inside a petrii >dish and then reinserted into her womb, and she is able to have a child. But >what is to be done with the left over fertilized eggs since she couldn't >possibly have used them all? Throw them away or experiment on them so that >scientists can find cures for diseases that never had a cure? This is a major >controversy that pro-life people argue with scientists about When it comes >down to it, what is the ethical thing to do? What is the right decision? > Scientists experiment using certain cells called stem >cells by >removing them from the fertilized eggs. The special type of stem cells >that >are extracted are called pluripotent cells. They are cells that can be >directed to become any type of body cell though they can never be created >into life if inserted into the womb. After they placed in a designated >area, they multiply and become the cells that they are told to be and >potentially cure a certain disease. > Some of the advantages of doing this research are as >follow. The >cells theater used are ones that will potentially be incinerated or destroyed >in one ay or another. If these cells are used, then its a high percentage >potential for a cure for certain diseases and could potentially vivify the >sick. It can also lead to potential cures for other diseases. Pro-life >should be called pro-stem cell research! Instead of creating only one life, >if the unused eggs were experimented on, they would allow for the aid in >saving many lives. Studies have shown that more than 10% of the population >would benefit if the research proves successful. Example: You are diagnosed >with severe congestive heart failure. Your doctor admits you to the hospital. >During an operation later that day, she injects some stem cells into your >heart forming new heart cells, and after an integration period of a few days, >your heart is substantially healed. You integration and lead a healthy life. > But on the other hand, rather than killing the possible >life, we >should consider saving it to create one later if the woman wants another >child or if it should be donated to couples unable to have children. It could >be considered a type of abortion if they use it for experimentation. (The >woman has the eggs fertilized and capable of having a child born from them >and then killing the cells by experimenting on them.) In some minds, it >seems >more humane to incinerate them rather than make them “guinea pigs” in >labs. > People find the experimentation completely atrocious. So there's more >reason for debate and it does seem more ethical to not do the research. >Either way, one should look at the large picture instead of the small one. > The benefits from the experimentationseem to greatly >outweigh the >cons of it. It has proven more beneficial than saving the egg just to create >one single life. It could also fuel future research and give other >ideas to >find different approaches such as creating a stem cell, which would end the >debate completely. But that takes research. > But whether it be ethical or not, their search is >probably better >for our future by helping to save hundreds of lives from disease that may be >because of this research. > >What does his Grandfather say? >Grandpa says: >"Research is a blind date with knowledge. >Come, let us welcome the bride with flowers." >Sid LevinO just me, Marjorie 68/58/55 ********************************************************************************************* Shortcut to Mail Options click here: http://parkinsons-information-exchange-network-online.com/mailopt.html