Stem Cell Research
Should umbilical cord stem cell research be allowed?
Background
Stem cell research has been a pretty hot topic for a while. The reason this is because stem cells have the ability to turn into a number of different cells in the body. Obama recently lifted some restrictions on the study of stem cells. This has made it easier for scientists to look into new ways for stem cells to be usd in medical sciences.
Umbilical cord stem cell usage
This picture shows the variety of ways stem cells could be used to treat diseases in all different systems of the body.
Group of cells being stored for later use
in this picture a stem cell is being removed from the umbillcal cord blood to be used in treatment or research.
Different uses of the stem cell
Stem cells can turn into nerve, blood, and muscle cells and are then prompted to become more complex cells.
PROS
- Stem cells from umbilical cord blood can help cure metabolic, immune, and blood disorders, as well as different cancers.
- If you bank your children's umbilical chord blood you can use it for treatment for family members who has genetic diseases or disorders.
- Stem cells have the potential to turn into any kind of cells so they can be used for various uses.
- Since 2008 the amount of clinical testing has gone up by 144% and the amount of diseases treated has gone up 145%.
CONS
- The process is expensive the average cost is $900-2,100 for the process and then $100 a year for storage.
- The percentage that the cord blood will help the child is 1 in 1,000 to 1 in 200,000.
- The likelihood of the blood helping a family member is very slight.
- There is only enough blood and stem cells to treat a child so it would basically be useless when the child grows up or for an adult.
- If a child has leukemia the doctors will usually be against using that child's cord blood/stem cells because if that stem cell was the cell that turned into leukemia in the first place it would just make things worse.
- If the child has a genetic disorder the cells would not help.
Cord Blood Banking - The Answers to Your Questions