Before starting the process of researching the stem cell, it must first be created and extracted. The first step in the process is the union of sperm and ovum which creates an embryo. This fertilized egg or embryo has now been created, and is frozen so that it may be used at a later time, and then put away. There are many of these embryos that are created from each couple, but there is only one embryo put inside of the uterus at a time. What happens now is that the couple waits to see if the embryo will develop into a fetus, and if it does not then another

embryo is put in. Once the couple has achieved their goal they often choose to donate the extra embryos to a clinic. To obtain the stem cells, the researcher must now take those same embryos and cut them open, thereby killing it and ending its life. Some might say that there is a vast difference between these frozen fertilized eggs and a fetus, but the only difference is size, age (as a fetus would be a more developed embryo), location, and degree of development as one is older than the other because the fetus id already inside of the woman while the embryo might still be frozen.

If people do choose to donate their embryos in hopes that stem cell research might lead to cures to many diseases it is far from a sure thing. Also stem cells do not have to be removed from embryos, there are other sources from which to attain them. In 1992, Samuel Weiss, a University of Calgary neurobiologist, became the first to find stem cells in the brain. There is also other proof that adult stem cells could me more effective than embryonic stem cells. As last year, a Toronto research team discovered retinal stem cells in animals and humans, raising the hope of new treatments in the future for diseased or damaged eyes. Also until recently, scientists believed that, unlike embryonic stem cells, adult cells could produce only a few types of tissue (Nichols). With the knowledge of such information there should be more focus on the adult stem cells. If the purpose of stem cell research is to save lives why not try to avoid using the human embryos at all costs.

One life should not be sacrificed in an attempt to try to save another. With stem cell research thousands of potential lives are being destroyed in order to experiment with possible cures for illnesses. A human lif

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