Summary of Articles

I have read 2 articles about stem cell research. One is about the U.S policy put on the stem cell research... This article has given us a clear view on the policies that implemented on the stem cell research. When George W. Bush was still the president of the United State, stem cell research is banned in the U.S due to his political stand against abortion. These policies deterred the progress in the stem cell research in U.S. And this time is different, the current president of the U.S, Mr. Obama supported stem cell research and sign an executive order reversing a policy that critics say has hampered the fight into finding treatments for grave diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and diabetes. However, there are some voices stated another point of views, like Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council and John Boehner, the Republican leader in the House of Representatives.

Another article is adopted from the stem cell research society in Singapore. I choose to read an article about the ethical position of the stem cell research in Singapore. The article pointed out many religious views on the stem cell research. Basically, the religious views on the stem cell research are depended on the type of research on stem cell. There are mainly two types of embryonic stem cell research --- therapeutic cloning and reproductive cloning. Muslims and Buddhist support the therapeutic cloning, but against the reproductive cloning. The rest religious groups, like Christian, Catholic, Taoist and Sikh are against both types of the stem cell research since they mainly think the embryos are considered to be potential human beings in the point of conception. For instance, Sikh mentioned “...human life begins when the male and female living cells unite ” and “totally respects the sanctity of the Gift of Human Life by God....” and Taoist also mentioned “.....not supportive of research that ........goes against nature, and that involves the killing of another life, e.g. using embryos for research.” This article is useful as it has helped us to understand the religious views on the Stem Cell Research. Furthermore, it also mention about the policy on using embryos on stem cell research in Singapore. the BAC adopted the
intermediate position on the moral status of an embryo ,and considered it ethical to conduct research on it only in very limited circumstances: regulated basis and subject to the conditions stipulated. One conditions are Within the 14 th Day Limit, Research may be conducted on an embryo before it reached the 14 th day from the day the gametes were fused. Another is beyond 14th days condition, it is unethical for research to be conducted on an embryo that has reached the 14 th day limit and that such an embryo would be accorded full status as a person. So with this limitation, I believe stem cell research still has a bright future.

Words are useful:
reproductive cloning performed with the express intent of creating another organism. This organism is the exact duplicate of one that already exists or has existed in the past. Cloning of plants, animals, and humans falls into the class of reproductive cloning.

therapeutic cloning is performed, not to produce another organism, but to harvest embryonic stem cells for use in medical treatments. Embryonic stem cells are those cells found inside of developing embryos. They can be used to produce a number of different cells including tissue, muscle, and organ cells.

Source1 is from http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/World/Story/STIStory_348012.html
Source 2 is from
http://www.stemcell.edu.sg/