Ethical Con:
Regenerative medicine is controversial, to say the least, and through its growth it has attracted many naysayers. The primary opposers of stem research, from an ethical standpoint, are religious institutions. Especially, the Catholic Church which believes that a living embryo should be treated similarly to a living individual, and this is where serious ethical arguments begin to take place. Furthermore, there are many groups that believe that the use of embryonic stem cells constitutes murder and should be banned in the scientific research community. There are many disagreements on which stage of a development of a fetus constitutes a living life form, and therefore many researchers involved with embryonic stem cells operate in a gray area undefined by scientific ethical code, etc.
Ethical Pro:
Though there are negatives to stem cell research, many outcomes of said research have significantly positive results allowing scientists and pharmaceutical companies to produce a new age of treatments more effective than those of the past. Additionally, it is important to take the supreme court Roe v Wayde into account when discussing matters involving the embryo, essentially the case establishes a precedent stating that an embryo is only considered living when it has the potential for growth outside of the womb. Lastly, with the current advancements in the use of adult stem cells it is fair to assume that the dependence on embryonic stem cells in a research case is dwelling.
Social Issues:
Regenerative medicine is providing the world with a new age of solutions for serious problems. Furthermore, with the use of stem cells humans can safely help counteract the effects of aging. Many believe that the use of stem cells may be morally wrong, but it is important to put the issue in perspective. With the use of regenerative medicine scientists have the potential of saving millions of lives. Therefore it is important to consider the opportunity costs of research and whether the benefits outweigh the possible damages. An example is that the state of California has spent over $3 billion in taxpayer funding on Stem Cell research, which has provided the people of the world with invaluable insight into the functions of the human body and how to best resolve medical issues, etc.
Legal Issues:
The conduction of research using stem cells is legal in the United States, but is illegal in many nations worldwide. This lack of worldwide enquiry in this subject has lead to varying opinions, which has stunted our growth of knowledge in this subject. Nations like Portugal, Ireland, and Italy are economically strong in the world market but do not condone stem cell research, which sends a message worldwide that endeavors into regenerative medicine may be morally, politically, or financially wrong.
http://www.nationalstemcellfoundation.org/list-of-treatable-conditions/regenerative-medicine/
http://www.timetoast.com/timelines/tissue-engineering-and-regenerative-medicine
http://www.scpr.org/programs/madeleine-brand/2011/11/28/21535/the-economics-of-stem-cell-research/
http://www.americansforcures.org/article.php?uid=1000
http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/genetic/ethical-to-use-stem-cells.htm 4 http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/stemcells/scissues/