Stem Cell Research and Biopsychosocial Perspectives From the Sciences, Government, and Community

Abstract

Stem cell research is a fairly new technological advancement that has been accompanied by a wide range of support and scrutiny. On February 22, 1997, Dolly, the sheep, was successfully cloned in Scotland, while controversy erupted over the moral, ethical, and social implications of creating life. Though many agree that using human embryos is morally acceptable, the United States, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, and European countries have passed legislation limiting or prohibiting stem cell research. This article considers the biopsychosocial benefits and potential hazards of stem cell research and how this research may affect social work practice.

KEYWORDS:

• Stem cell
• embryonic stem cell
• cloning
• bioethics

Notes

*Question: On the whole, how much do you favor or oppose medical research that uses stem cells from human embryos—do you strongly favor, somewhat favor, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose this?

*Questions:

I will read a list of some stories covered by news organizations this past month. As I read each item, tell me if you happened to follow this news story very closely, fairly closely, not too closely, or not at all closely:

(a) A religious group [Raëlians] claiming to have successfully cloned a human being

(b) The cloning of mice by scientists in Hawaii

(c) Plans by a Chicago scientist (Richard Seed) to open a clinic for cloning people

(d) The cloning of a sheep by a Scottish biologist

^aGallup: “As you may know, the federal government is considering whether to fund certain kinds of medical research known as “stem cell research.”… How closely have you followed the debate about government funding of stem cell research?”

^bIpsos: “How closely have you followed the issue of federal funding of stem cell research?”

^cKaiser: “How closely did you follow the story regarding the discussion of stem cell lines eligible for research with federal funding?”

^dLess than .5%.