Emerging Issues

There have been many advances in science and technology that have produced throughout the years.   Development of these advances will continue to take place, and more likely to improve with the continued progression of science.   Although stem cell research has produced positive results, it is an emerging issue that continues to arouse concerns among individuals.   Stem cell research is one of those topics that people may see as posing future ethical dilemmas within healthcare.   This paper will discuss stem cell research, the pro’s and con’s of the stated topic, the ethical dilemmas that stem cell research faces in the future, and the global competition affecting U.S. health care policy.
According to Wikipedia, stem cells are cells that are found in multi cellular organisms.   They are characterized by the ability to renew themselves through mitotic cell division and differentiate into a diverse range of specialized cell types (Wikipedia, 2011).   Stem cells are more known as a genetic cell that can make exact copies of itself.   The stem cell has the ability to produce specialized cells for various tissues in the body, such as heart muscle, brain and liver tissue (Healthline, Connect to Better Health, 2009).   Currently, medical research has been focusing on two types of stem cells, adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells.
There are many individuals that see the pro’s and con’s within stem cell research.   Some people see the medical benefits stem cell research can produce, and the lives that can be saved through this technology.   Some benefits are; limbs and organs that can be grown in a lab from stem cells and used for transplants or to help treat illnesses, assisting scientist to learn about human growth and development, adult cells can be used to treat the actual patient of their illness, and stem cell research holds the key to reversing the effects of aging and prolonging life among individuals (Pillai, 2010).   These are only a few of the benefits that can be...