One of the most promising discoveries of the last decade was something every single one of us is born with- stem cells. Why are stem cells so incredible you ask? One word: Pluripotent. If you don’t know what that means, don’t worry, it’s pretty simple. It means that they can become anything. In the context of the human body, it means they can be whatever kind of cell you need them to be- lung, skin, heart, liver, et cetera. This was a groundbreaking discovery because it could revolutionize the way traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries are treated, along with many other conditions pertaining to the brain and spinal cord. Unlike most cells is the body, which are constantly dividing, brain and nerve cells do not undergo mitosis. So, if they are damaged or destroyed, it could have severe consequences on the affected individual, such as in cases of paralysis, strokes, or severe burns.
The goal of stem cells research was to find a way to guide the stem cells into becoming the specific type of tissue needed by a particular individual. If that could be done, theoretically, a vast amount of diseases and injuries once thought to be permanent could be treated and even cured. So what happened? The Ethical Debate happened. Technically, embryonic stem cells can only be obtained from a human embryo. But harvesting the stem cells results in the destruction of the embryo. So, stem cells research became a political, moral, and ethical issue. The president at the time of this ethical debate was George W. Bush, a republican who was notably pro-life. As a result, he restricted funding for stem cell research obtained from human embryos, which effectively brought the research, and all it’s promise, to a grinding halt. Although there are other types of stem cells that are not obtained from embryos, it is a known fact that embryonic stem cells have the greatest capabilities because they are the most versatile. Research has continued, but the federal ban greatly impeded progress, and to date stem cell treatment has only been used for eye related conditions, such as macular degeneration.
