Stem Cell Research - my views

Got started on this because of a post by Barry on his blog.

Every technology, old,new or upcoming - has been, is being and will be - subject to debates.

There are ways to make good use of it, there are ways to abuse it. It's not the particular technology that is to be blamed, but rather the people who decide how it is to be used.

For example - Ecstasy was initially intended to be an intermediate chemical used in the synthesis of a hydrastinine - a drug intended to control bleeding from wounds - (patented in 1914). Who knows, perhaps it could've also been used to treat psychological issues and would be the wonder drug being prescribed by psychiatrists.

The intent wasn't to make it an abusive drug.

When scientists did the research on Nuclear energy (Fission and Fusion reactions) the intent was to produce energy. How that energy is to be used - is a completely different matter.

Now, Stem Cell research or cloning or whatever - the positive implications are there and so are the negative.

I wouldn't want to see something like this shut down. Personally, I think - the world has a lot more immediate issues to worry about - than the potential harm that could be caused by Stem Cell research.. but that's just a personal opinion.

IT MAY HAVE MORE HARMFUL EFFECTS THAN WE THINK.. well that can be true for just about anything ..

About the moral or religious angle, well to each his own.

Messing with nature.. haa.. we do that everyday, don't we?

You think nature provides us with trees so we can cut them down and make paper? (just another way of looking at it)

The research doesn't centre around only cloning and designer babies, but also focuses on cloning organs (don't know if that is the right term).

A new liver to replace the messed up liver you have now (because you thought nature gave you booze to drink away and nature should take it's course and you decided not to mess with nature)

A new kidney .. perhaps a treatment for cancer.. leukaemia. Perhaps an effective cure for diabetes or Parkinson's..

Why does one take any medicines at all, why bother with any surgery at all?? why??
Why interfere with nature?
Why look for organ donors?
Why use vaccines for polio and stuff??
Why use a condom or other contraceptives and mess with nature??
Why try to enrich the soil?
Why develop (or try to develop) HYV (high yielding varieties) of crops?

It all depends on perceptions my friend.

what the future holds, only time will tell... but if we are to only think about the negatives of every new research program, then we would be stuck where we are now.

There is no such thing as RESEARCH EXCLUSIVELY FOR A GOOD CAUSE.

Everything GREAT doesn't necessarily have to be GOOD. Sadly the world and the minds of today (well majority at least) want to attain GREATNESS and not GOODNESS. (I am NOT sayin that Stem Cell research is not Good, but it definitely is GREAT... guess that largely depends on what one defines as GREAT and that too changes with time)

Research is research.. thats it. how the results are put to use in our world, depends on the individuals - depends on US......

One could use the research and the results to make a better world a safer world or a monstrous world.

The argument that it COULD cause more harm, or it COULD potentially be misused - WILL HOLD TRUE FOR EVERYTHING. (it actually does)