Pros and Cons of Stem Cell Research | Adult Cells

I thought it was really cool when they could get stem cells from umbilical cord blood, but this is huge. Researchers from both Wake Forest University and Harvard University have discovered stem cells, more specifically embryonic stem cells, in amniotic fluid. As many of your might know, the debate over the pros and cons of stem cell research is less like a list, and really covers two issues.

1) Is the use of embryonic stem cells in research morally appropriate (many believe that destroying an embryo to obtain these stem cells is on par with abortion)

2) Do Adult Stem Cells really have the same potential for developments as Embryonic Stem Cells?

While you will talk with many people who disagree on both, could it be that this new find will completely get rid of the meat of the debate. Could it be that both Adult and Embryonic Stem Cells can be researched without these moral questions and we can really find out which hast the most potential?

Researchers are still not certain whether or not stem cells found in amniotic fluid have the same capabilities as the embryonic stem cells that we would normally think of. But, either way it is definitely an exciting idea.  This could affect heart disease, diabetes, (both types of diabetes) and other illnesses as well.

For more information read about it in the Washington Post.

So a lot of us have either given or received blood from blood bank. The Red Cross and similar organizations literally gather thousands of pints of blood to give to those who have special needs. Many college students have even stayed alive by donating plasma. But, has anyone ever thought about a Public Umbilical Cord Bank?

Many new parents have heard about Umbilical Cord Blood Banking and Registries. But, it’s pretty expensive to do, so a lot of that blood just gets thrown away. The average cost right now is about $1500 with an annual fee of about $100. For those parents who don’t have as much money as they might want, they would probably rather put that in a college fund or the like. But, the government recently donated money for 6 banks to store public cord blood. The donor’s will wave their rights to using the blood and it will be used for a bank. This way, just like donating your blood, those who meet the given criteria can use your stem cells for their benefit. It is a really good idea. Preserving your cord blood costs a lot and you might never even use it. But this way when you need it, you should be able to get it, and every new child can donate without any real loss to themselves. A pretty cool idea if you ask me. This is a definite Pro in the Pros and Cons of Stem Cell Research.

“How to bank your babies blood - Private or Public? The new liquid gold in medicine is cord blood, but this tiny amount of blood in the umbilical cord connecting mother and baby is causing an uproar.
Parents are being offered the chance to store their child’s core blood, either in a public bank for public use, or in a private bank, for use only by their own child. Catalyst reporter Paul Willis investigates the dilemma that has sprung up around how to bank baby cord blood - Private or Public?

Until recently Cord Blood was discarded as waste at birth, but now it’s been found to have the ability to cure diseases like leukaemia. But because the genetic problems that caused the child’s disease are very likely be present in their own cord blood, most are cured using cord blood from another child, supplied from a newly established Public Cord Blood Bank.

But because Cord Blood contains stem cells parents are also being offered the option of storing their babies cord blood in a private bank. Stem cells are those incredible cells that science says are the future of medicine, they hold the potential to cure many diseases – but only if you use your own. That’s why the private cord blood bank is attractive. But by putting your child’s blood in a private bank it is being locked up and denied to the people who could use it to cure their child’s disease right now. Parents have a difficult decision to make, least of which is what happens if the private blood bank goes bankrupt? It’s already happened in the US.”

“Catalyst - Cord Blood VHS Discout” - ABC Enterprises