The Exponent - Purdue's Student Newspaper

The Food and Drug Administration is allowing the world’s first test of human embryonic stem cells on people. Geron, a biotechnology company, is awaiting clearance for a clinical trial of spinal cord treatment.

Donna M. Fekete, professor of biological sciences, said the research will be beneficial to patients because unlike previous years, it will now be controlled by the government. By having certain regulations and guidelines, the patients will be much safer.

“I know for a fact there are uncontrolled procedures done in other countries,” she said. “They take patients who are desperate across the border and there is no follow-up; no one to find out if they are infected ... setting aside ethical issues, stem cell research is happening in unregulated conditions and that is much worse.”

Jim Barton, pastor at University Lutheran Church, said he doesn’t agree with the research even though it will be regulated by the government. He said researchers should try to use alternative stem cells instead of embryonic cells.

“I have no problem with adult stem cell research, but when you are taking a life to use those stem cells that is where the problems occur,” he said. “There are methods now that you can get stem cells without killing a life.”

The reason why researchers use embryonic stem cells is because the young cells are very multipotent and have the potential to be manipulated into any type of cell. Researchers already know why individuals lose cells, but using embryos could answer how to replace the lost cells, Fekete said.

“It is so early. It is just a little cluster of cells that has the potential to become any cell type,” she said. “A researcher may want to treat diabetes so they can turn the stem cell into insulin and study it.”

Although the embryonic stem cells are useful, Barton said the research shouldn’t take precedence over taking a life.

“I know there are people who don’t believe it is a life, but that would be our point of view ... when fetuses are killed is where we have concern. We see life beginning at conception.”

While the issue of using embryonic stem cells will always be debated between the medical world and the religious world, there is no denying stem cells are a valuable resource. Now that the research is underway, Fekete said doctors still have to answer one question: the question of ethics.

“How much risk should a human be willing to take?” she asked. “It depends on the illness and risks of the surgery ... patients should choose if they want to try to make a greater quality of life.”