Is Stopping Federal Funding of Stem Cell Research Ethical?

On August 9, 2001, at 9:00 p.m. EDT, President Bush announced his decision to allow Federal funds to be used for research on existing human embryonic stem cell lines as long as the following criteria was met:

-The stem cells must have been derived from an embryo that was created for reproductive purposes;

-The embryo was no longer needed for these purposes;

-Informed consent must have been obtained for the donation of the embryo;

-No financial inducements were provided for donation of the embryo.

As everyone may know, there has been much debate lately regarding whether or not the government should continue to fund stem-cell research.  The Obama administration has been in and out of court appealing the ban on federally funding the research done by the National Institute of Health.  Billions of dollars have already been invested in the project started by the Bush administration.

The goal of the stem-cell research is not only to grow embryo cells for women who can not get pregnant, but to also build, grow, and genetically modify cells that could eventually make healing and disease-curing in the future much easier.  John Paull II Institute is a great example of how research in the field of stem-cells could advance the field of medicine.  

In class this week we focused on the the levels of evaluation and the ethics behind research.  Is the cutting off funding for stem-cell research really ethical, even if it means killing live embryos, and finding new cures that have never been found before?  What most people don't know is that not only will they be killing live embryo's, but the National Institute of Health has billions of dollars already invested in new experiments that would just go to waste if the government were to stop funding the research.