What Are The Pros And Cons Of Stem Cell Testing?

It would need a scientist to go into this properly, but as far as the public debate is concerned, the worries that people have expressed about stem cell research don't seem to be so much about medical or scientific complications. (Of course there are potential problems with all new science.)

The benefits could be endless - the treatment of Parkinson's disease and diabetes are often highlighted as just two areas where stem cell use could lead to radical developments. For instance, insulin-producing cells could be developed for transplantation into diabetics.

The big public objection seems to be to the use of embryos themselves, not to possible effects of this - religious and other groups say this is destroying life. However, the cells used are from embryos created for IVF, that would otherwise be destroyed anyway, so the point of that argument is not clear.

There is an introduction to the topic at

stemcells.nih.gov target="blank">stemcells.nih.gov/info/basic