

































STUDY AND ANALYSIS OF STEM CELL THERAPY AND ITS ETHICAL CONSIDERATION


Bangladesh Journal of Bioethics 2010;1(3):22-34

STUDY  AND  ANALYSIS  OF  STEM  CELL  THERAPY  AND  ITS  ETHICAL 
CONSIDERATION

M.Ullah 1, Vidyanath Chaudhary 2, Nurul Absar, Ph.D.3

1,  2 Department Of Biochemistry And Biotechnology,  University Of Science And Technology Chittagong, 
(Ustc), Foy’s Lake-4202, Bangladesh. 

3prof. And Head, Department Of Biochemistry And Biotechnology, University Of Science And Technology 
Chittagong, (Ustc) Foy’s Lake-4202, Bangladesh .

 1Email: babugene11@yahoo.com

Abstract : The controversy surrounding stem cell research led to an intense debate about 
ethics. Up until the recent years, the research method mainly focused on Embryonic Stem 
Cells, which involves taking tissue from an aborted embryo to get proper material to study. 
This is typically done just days after conception or between the 5th and 9th week. Since 
then,  researchers  have  moved  on  to  more  ethical  study  methods,  such  as  Induced 
Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPS). iPS is artificially derived from a non-pluripotent cell, such as 
adult somatic cells. This is probably an important advancement in stem cell research, since 
it  allows researchers  to  obtain  pluripotent  stem cells,  which are  important  in  research, 
without the controversial use of embryos. Nowadays stem cell treatment has been spreaded 
throughout the world. It has also been grown commercially in developed countries. This 
paper assesses the stem cell treatment as well as its impact in human life. It also examines 
specific stem cell therapy market that proves far reaching effect in world economy. Though 
various organizations have made it as a controversial issue the analysis shows that stem 
cell  treatment has brought positive dimension in human society.  A discussion has been 
made about the ethical issues of stem cell research and therapy; which focus how recent 
biotechnology  and  biological  understandings  of  development  narrow  the  debate.  It  is 
thought that one day it may be the major key to treat various diseases.

Key words: Stem cells, Stem cell treatment, Leukemia, Cardio vascular diseases, Ethical 
issues, Stem cell therapy business.

Literature  search:  The paper  has  been  made  based  on study and analysis  of  various 
research papers, articles, books, news on stem cell and stem cell therapy. Here a discussion 
is made on stem cell and its therapeutic role in human society. Some stem cell treatments 
are discussed on the basis of case analysis of different experiments on different parts of the 
world. The demand of stem cell treatments is increasing with time. The analysis seeks to 
address this issue in this paper.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Induced_pluripotent_stem_cell
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Induced_pluripotent_stem_cell
mailto:babugene11@yahoo.com


Bangladesh Journal of Bioethics 2010;1(3):22-34

Introduction : This study presents the stem cell therapy and its impact in modern society. 
Nowadays stem cells become a tool for therapeutic purposes. Various types of work are 
carried out in different parts  of the world on the basis of stem cell  therapy.  Stem cell 
technology becomes the hope for the patient. Medical researchers believe that stem cell 
research has ability to dramatically change the approaches to understanding and treating 
various diseases. Though it has an immense role in the therapeutic purposes, it has some 
limitation  also.  Scientists  are  trying  to  find  out  the  appropriate  solution  of  those 
limitation  .Some groups considered  it  as  controversial  issue.  Researchers  have  already 
developed the stem cell technology. So its positive site is opened in front of the world. But 
stem cell  is  not  only enough to  develop  successful  treatment.  To develop successful  l 
treatment, the importance is on technology and experienced doctor.  Stem cell therapy is 
considered as like a soldier with a weapon. Only if the  soldier (experienced doctor ), 
weapon (technology) and bullets (stem cells) all are in our hand than the fight will  turn in 
our favor.

Literature Review : The human body has a variety of 220 different cells types. Stem cells 
are master cells that act as foundation cells for every organ, tissue and cell in the body. 
They differ from other cell by their remarkable properties to develop into many different 
cell types. They are considered as a blank microchip that can be programmed to perform 
particular tasks. They serve as a repair machine for the body. At present, scientists worked 
with  two  broad  classes  of  stem  cells  from  animals  and  human:  embryonic  stem  cell 
(isolated from inner cell mass of blastocysts) and non-embryonic “somatic” or “adult” stem 
cells (Stem cells taken from adult tissue). In 2006, researchers made another breakthrough 
by  identifying  new  type  of  stem  cell,  called induced  pluripotent  stem  cells  (iPSCs) 
thorough genetically reprogramming of specialized adult cell. Last year Jaenisch's group 
successfully treated transgenic mice carrying the human gene for sickle-cell  anemia by 
giving them hematopoietic stem cells derived from those mice's gene-repaired iPS cells1.

Human embryonic stem cells were isolated relatively recently, in 1998. By transplanting 
cells  generated  from human  embryonic  stem cells  in  to  the  patient  diseases  might  be 
treated like  Parkinson's disease, diabetes, heart disease, and vision and hearing loss etc. 
Embryonic stem cells are derived from embryos through fertilization of egg in vitro - in an 
in vitro fertilization clinic - and then donated for research purposes with informed consent 
of the donors. They are  not derived from eggs fertilized in a woman's body. Now a day 
human  embryonic  stem cells  are  cultured  in  plastic  laboratory  culture.  Scientists  have 
already established some basic protocols for embryonic stem cells to become some specific 
cell types.

Adult stem cell also known as somatic (from Greek Σωματικóς, "of the body") stem cells 
and germ line (giving rise to gametes) stem cells, they can be found in children, as well as 
adult 2.One supply of adult stem cell is from human fetal tissue. The first human stem cells 
were extracted from "primordial gonadal tissue which was taken from a non-living fetus" 
3.The primary function of adult stem cells is to maintain and repair the tissue in which they 
are found. Research on adult stem cells has generated a great excitement. Scientists have 
found adult stem cells in many more tissues than they once thought possible. This finding 

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http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/parkinsons_disease/parkinsons_disease.htm


Bangladesh Journal of Bioethics 2010;1(3):22-34

has led researchers and clinicians to use adult stem cell as therapeutic purposes. Adult stem 
cells have already produced therapies, while embryonic stem cells have not 4, 5. Moreover, 
there have been many advances in adult stem cell research, including a recent study where 
pluripotent  adult  stem  cells  were  manufactured  from  differentiated  fibroblast  by  the 
addition of specific transcription factors 6.For example bone marrow transplants are a type 
of  adult  stem cell  therapy.  For  more  than  20 years,  patients  with leukemia  have  been 
treated  by introducing  hematopoietic  (blood forming)  stem cells  through bone marrow 
transplantation. Adult stem cells are also used in veterinary medicine to treat tendon and 
ligament injuries in horse’s 7.The use of these stem cells in research and treatment is not as 
controversial as embryonic stem cells.

Nowadays  Scientists'  enthusiasm  grows  for  induced  pluripotent  cells  When  Shinya 
Yamanaka of Kyoto University reported his transformation of cultured mouse skin cells 
into  a  state  approximating  that  of  embryonic  stem cells  8,  he  was  met  with  plenty of 
skepticism. Other scientists hadn't anticipated that such a feat was possible. "Nobody else 
was even close to doing the same experiment,"  says  Richard Young of the Whitehead 
Institute  in  Cambridge,  Massachusetts.  "That  was  a  very  special  breakthrough."  By 
inserting just four genes -Oct4, Sox2, Klf4 and Myc- into fibroblasts (cultured skin cells); 
Yamanaka's group had achieved the biological equivalent of making water flow uphill. The 
resultant  induced  pluripotent  stem  (iPS)  cells  proliferate  indefinitely  in  culture  and 
differentiate into all the tissues necessary to generate a live mouse. 9, 10.

There are lots of advantages and disadvantages in case of adult and embryonic stem cells. 
Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent, means they are able to form all cell types of the 
body. On the other hand, adult stem cells do not show the same capabilities. Because they 
are considered as a tissue-specific stem cell. Rejection is common in embryonic stem cell 
therapy but it is less of a concern with adult stem cell therapy. This is due to a patient's 
own cells  could be used in culture,  a specific  cell  type  produced (differentiation), and 
finally reintroduced into the patient. The reason  of transplant rejection  by tissues derived 
from  embryonic  stem  cell   is  not  clear,  since  the  United  States  Food  and  Drug 
Administration has only recently been approved (FDA). Moreover embryonic stem cells 
do not participate in the destruction of an embryo but embryonic stem cells have to face 
this  ethical  problems .Though both  types  of  stem cells  play important  role  in  medical 
sciences, but there are some limitations to using adult stem cells. Adult stem cells may 
exhibit DNA abnormality during the course of a lifetime. These potentials might limit the 
usefulness of adult stem cell in therapy. For this reason, human embryonic stem cells are 
thought to have much greater developmental potential in comparison to adult stem cells. In 
1998, a group led by Dr.  James Thomson at  the University of Wisconsin developed a 
technique to isolate and grow the human embryonic stem cells. From then Scientists have 
completed experiments with human embryonic stem cells. In late January 2009, Geron- 
California based company get clearance from FDA to begin the first human clinical trial of 
human embryonic stem cells.

In spite of having some disadvantages, stem cells are used in therapeutic purposes. These 
activities  arise  new area  in  medical  technology,  called  stem cell  treatment.  Stem cell 

24

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embryonic_stem_cell
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stem_cell_controversy


Bangladesh Journal of Bioethics 2010;1(3):22-34

treatments are also familiar as therapy, where new cells are introduced into damaged area 
to treat a disease or injury in a patient similar to organ transplantation. These treatments are 
potential  enough  to  change  the  face  of  human  disease.  In  medical  science,  stem cell 
treatments  provide  both help  and hope to  the  patients.  In  May,  2009,  Dr.  Kameshwar 
Prasad of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) gave a presentation on his 
stem cell study at the European Stroke Research Conference. In his speech he said, “The 
stem cells had excellent safety profile. After carrying out Pet scans and MRIs thrice in a 
year on patients who received stem cells, we found no side-effects. This study shows that 
stem cells are a safe and feasible therapy in acute stroke. This holds promise and needs to 
be confirmed in a bigger study’’11.So diseases which can not possible to treat those are 
treatable and even curable through stem cell treatment.

There are some groups that arise questions about the potentiality of stem cell.  There are 
some  obstacles  that  must  be  overcome  before  the  potential  uses  of  stem cells  in  cell 
therapy .These are – find out stem cell source and provide right conditions to differentiate 
cells into the specialized cells. The most potential application of human stem cells is the 
formation  of cells  and tissues that  can be used for cell-based therapy.  Researchers  are 
delivering the stem cells intravenously, because they believe the cells naturally migrate to 
an injury site. Researchers from the Medical College of Georgia (MCG) injected human 
stem cells  (200,000 to  400,000) into the brain of animals.  The stem cells  used in this 
purpose were multipotent adult progenitor cells. At least 25 percent treated animals shown 
greater improvement in neurological performance than controls. This result was published 
by Cesario Borlongan, PhD, a neuroscientist at MCG and the Veterans Affairs Medical 
Center  in  Augusta,  Ga.  The  findings  are  important  recovery  advances  in  humans. 
Researchers think stem cell  therapy,  aggressive physical  therapy and possibly the clot-
busting drug tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) decrease the rate of stroke. This is major 
problem among American adults.

National Institutes of Health stated that: "...there is evidence that adult stem cells may have 
more limited potential than hPSCs [human pluripotent stem cells]. First, stem cells for all 
cell and tissue types have not yet been found in the adult human. Significantly,  cardiac 
stem cells or pancreatic islet stem cells have not been identified in adult humans. Second, 
stem cells in adults are often present in only minute quantities, are difficult to isolate and 
purify, and their numbers may decrease with age" 12

. On the other hand another group think 
adult  stem  cells   offer  greater  potential  than  originally  believed  In  early  2002, New 
Scientist magazine  reported  that Catherine  Verfaillie's  team  at  the University  of 
Minnesota had found stem cells  in  the bone  marrow of  adults  that  may be capable  of 
becoming almost any of the 220 tissue types in the human body. These "multipotent adult 
progenitor  cells"  or  (MAPCs)  might  match  the  flexibility  and  potential  of  stem cells 
derived from embryos. Verfaillie's team was able to isolated MAPCs from about 70 of the 
approximately 100 people who donated samples of their bone marrow 13.

Stem cells are important because human development occurs from stem cells. Scientists 
have created many  ways of using stem cells to develop into human cells, researchers are 
confident to treatments many diseases by stem cells - Bone loss, Leukemia, Broken bones, 

25



Bangladesh Journal of Bioethics 2010;1(3):22-34

Lou Gehrig's disease brain damage due to oxygen starvation, Severe burns, Cancer (some 
forms),  Type 1 diabetes  mellitus,  Cardiac  failure ,  Hepatitis,  Osteoarthritis,  incomplete 
bladder  control,  Missing  teeth,  Huntington's,   Lupus,  Spinal  cord  injuries  ,Muscular 
dystrophy, Blindness and vision impairment, Multiple sclerosis, Stroke etc .

Leukemia  is  one  of  the  life  threatening  diseases  in  human  life.  The  Leukemia’s  are 
neoplastic disorder of hemopoitic tissue where an uncontrolled, abnormal and wide spread 
proliferation of the leucocytic cells (white blood cells) is occurred.  Every year a huge 
number of people around the world are attacked by these diseases. A common treatment 
for these diseases is chemotherapy. But it has some problem also. At first most growing 
cells  like  leukemia  or  neoplastic  cells  are  destroyed  by  the  cytotoxic agents,  due  to 
chemotherapy. These agents also kill the hematopoietic stem cells within the bone marrow. 
Unfortunately this side effect arises a question about the use of the chemotherapy. To solve 
this problem scientists use stem cell as a therapeutic purposes. For over many years bone 
marrow stem cells have been used by the scientists  to treat patients with  leukemia and 
lymphoma. News published in the famous New England Journal of Medicine that stem 
cells  collected  from  the  umbilical  cords  of  newborn  babies  are  viable  and  valuable 
transplant  source  for  thousands  of  leukemia  patients  who haven’t  any  other  treatment 
option. Every year leukemia patients require a bone marrow transplant, but it is difficult to 
find out matched relative bone marrow. Umbilical cords are normally discarded after birth 
can  be used to  provide  real  hope for  the  leukemia  patients.  Researchers  conducted  an 
investigation and comparison of leukemia treatment results in more than five hundred adult 
patients with stem cells transplant. The research was conducted in the United States during 
a six-year period ending in 2001, where patient's ages were 16 to 60 years. The Survival 
rates were maximum (33 percent)  for bone marrow transplants with matched unrelated 
donors.  Survival  rates  were  the  same  (22  percent)  for  cord  blood  and  one  antigen-
mismatched  unrelated  bone  marrow  transplant  patients-results  that  clearly  indicate  the 
efficacy of cord blood stem cells when bone marrow donors are unavailable, according to 
Dr.  Laughlin,  an Associate  Professor of Medicine at  Case Western Reserve University 
School  of Medicine  14.  The donated cord blood can be used for any patient  for future 
transplantation.  Cord blood transplantation  provides    stem cell  to  the  patient,  help  to 
produce  mature  blood  cells.  As  comparison  to  stem  cell  umbilical  cord  blood  is  not 
controversial; and in fact, it is normally discarded after birth. So new mothers can donate 
this immediately after delivery. When the doctors cannot find any matching bone marrow, 
they choice cord blood for their availability. Which is now become the key tool to treat 
leukemia  and  other  associated  diseases.  According  to  Science  Daily  (June  2,  2004)  - 
MAYWOOD, Ill.  More than 106,000 people in the U.S. each year are diagnosed with 
these life threatening diseases.

Various clinical  trials  have proved adult stem cell  therapy is safe and effective to treat 
heart disease. This therapy is available for heart disease on at least five continents. For 
example, now it is possible to generate healthy heart muscle cells in the laboratory and 
then  transplant  into  patients  with  chronic  heart  disease.  In  preliminary  research  of 
transplantation of bone marrow stromal cells in damaged heart of mice and other animals 
indicates beneficial effects. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) includes coronary heart disease, 

26

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leukemia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haematopoiesis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cytotoxic
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heart_failure
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabetes


Bangladesh Journal of Bioethics 2010;1(3):22-34

congestive  heart  failure,  hypertension,  and  stroke.  Cardiovascular  disease  is  a  leading 
cause of death worldwide killing 17 million people each year15,  especially due to heart 
attack and stroke. In the United States, heart disease is the number one cause of death. The 
high rate  of mortality  associated with heart  diseases is  the inability to repair  damaged 
tissue  16. Therefore a potentially new strategy to treat heart failure is restoring damaged 
heart muscle tissue, through repair or regeneration .The use of adult and embryonic stem 
cells for cardiac repair is a dynamic area of research. The umbilical cord blood cells have 
also been investigated as possible sources for regenerating damaged heart tissue.  A recent 
report  used  a  swine  model  of  atrioventricular  block  and  transplanted  human  ES  cell-
derived  cardiomyocytes  into  the  pig's  heart  to  work  as  a  pacemaker  17.  The  ES  cells 
survived, functioned and integrated well with the host cells. A new research on stem cell 
shows that partial paralysis of stroke patients can be cured by a person’s own adult stem 
cells.  For  example  a  stem cell  study took  place  in  New Delhi,  India,  there  12  stroke 
patients were treated with their own stem cells within 1 month after a stroke. As a control 
group 3 stroke patients were used without stem cell transplantation. However after year, 
70% (7 or 8 of the patients) were able to overcome their handicaps and successfully return 
to their normal life .Only 1 out of the 3 in the control group were able to go back to their 
normal routine. There was no side effects from own stem cells transplantation. Another 
study shown that transplantation of embryonic stem cells to mouse embryos in the earliest 
stages  of  development  demonstrated  a  capacity  to  recover  from  cardiac  injury  in 
adulthood.  This  study  provides  the  first  regenerative  medicine  can  successfully  treat 
myocardial infarction through prophylactic intervention.

Eye is the important organs in human life. There are many reasons for blindness and vision 
impairment .But these are not curable by current medical technology. Stem cells also play 
a vital role in this field. Researchers have already transplanted human retinal stem cells to 
restore vision into damaged eyes. Scientists grown a totipotent stem cells in the laboratory 
and then transplanted  this sheet over the damaged retina, this stem cells stimulate  repair 
mechanism, eventually  restoring vision .The latest such development was in June 2005, 
when researchers at the Queen Victoria Hospital of Sussex, England were able to restore 
the sight of forty patients using the same technique. The group, led by Dr. Sheraz Daya, 
was able to successfully use adult stem cells obtained from the patient, a relative, or even a 
cadaver. Further rounds of trials are ongoing 18. Moreover The University Hospital of New 
Jersey claims a success rate growing the new cells from transplanted stem cells varies from 
25 percent to 70 percent 19. A degenerative disease called keratoconus which causes vision 
impairment arises due to corneal transplants and has no known cure. Researcher hoped that 
one day stem cell research will provide a treatment to such devastating corneal disorders.

Stem cells  are  also  used  in  the  treatment  of  Multiple  sclerosis  (MS),  an  autoimmune 
disease that affects about 85,000 people in the UK. Dr Doug Brown, research manager at 
the MS Society, said, “Stem cells are showing more and more potential in the treatment of 
MS and the challenge we now face is proving their effectiveness in trials involving large 
numbers of people" 20. A clinical trial investigating the treatment of patients with multiple 
sclerosis (MS) using bone marrow stem cells has produced encouraging results, researchers 
at  Bristol  University  have  reported.  In  the  phase I  clinical  trial,  six  MS patients  were 

27

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keratoconus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_University_Hospital_(Newark,_New_Jersey)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadaver
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sussex,_England
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Victoria_Hospital
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retina


Bangladesh Journal of Bioethics 2010;1(3):22-34

injected with stem cells harvested from their own bone marrow. The main aim of the study 
was to determine whether this procedure was safe and free from side effects. The study, 
carried  out  at  Frenchay  Hospital,  found  no  serious  side  effects  associated  with  the 
procedure. It also found that the MS was stable in five out of the six patients receiving 
bone marrow stem cells, and did not deteriorate over the twelve month period. Dr Claire 
Rice, Research Fellow at the University of Bristol, said: 'The results are very encouraging. 
We would have expected these pathways to get worse but they have actually got better. It 
is exciting because the treatment is relatively pain free and patients do not need to stay 
overnight in hospital' 21.

Scientists in Berlin "Cure" Patient of HIV Disease is supported by a report published in 
The New England Journal of Medicine in February of 2009. In this report, Berlin doctors 
describe a male patient who has both HIV infection and leukemia. In order to treat this 
patient's  leukemia,  doctors  transplanted  stem  cells  from  a  donor  who  was  naturally 
resistant  to  the  HIV virus.  Such naturally  resistant  people  to  the  HIV virus  comprise 
approximately 1% of the general population and are deemed such as they have a genetic 
mutation of the CCR5 gene which is required for susceptibility to HIV infection. After the 
stem cell transplant for the patient’s leukemia was performed with the HIV resistant cells, 
the patient was able to discontinue taking all anti-HIV medications and remained without 
detectable HIV virus in his blood for the 20 consecutive months he was monitored.  In 
effect, this patient was “cured” of his HIV disease 22.

Besides  this  stem cell  also replace  missing  teeth.  In theory,  stem cells  taken from the 
patient could be coaxed in the lab into turning into a tooth bud which, when implanted in 
the gums, will give rise to a new tooth, which would be expected to take two months to 
grow 23. Researcher are trying to use stem cell treatment in Parkinson’s disease which is the 
second  neurodegenerative  disease  following  Alzheimer's.  Approximately  1.5  million 
people in the United States suffer from Parkinson's disease  24. Another focusing site of 
stem sell  transplant  is  in  veterinary  animals  .Research currently  conducted  on horses, 
dogs, and cats can benefit the development of stem - cell treatments in veterinary medicine, 
but may also contribute to developing those in human medicine for a range injuries and 
diseases such as myocardial infarction, stroke, tendon and ligament damage, osteoarthritis, 
osteochondrosis and muscular dystrophy 25,26,27,28 .

Though  stem cell  therapy  plays  remarkable  role  in  medical  science  it  has  also  some 
limitation. Adult stem cells are not yet a permanent solution for diseases. It is difficult to 
judge  its  therapeutic  potential.  Some  patients  show  a  noticeable  improvement  after 
treatment  with  these  stem cells,  but  the  same  treatment  will  have  no  effect  on  others 
patient. So more research is needed on this field.

Ethical issues: Now a day’s ethics is the important topics in case of biological research. 
Stem cell research is monitored by various groups. They have raised their voice against 
stem  cell  research.  Though  embryonic  stem  cells  have  greater  plasticity,  potentially 

28

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscular_dystrophy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osteochondrosis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osteoarthritis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ligament
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tendon
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stroke
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myocardial_infarction


Bangladesh Journal of Bioethics 2010;1(3):22-34

allowing them to treat a wider range of diseases29. But in recent years  human embryonic 
stem cell research is controversial because, to create a stem cell line a human embryo has 
to destroy. Opponents of stem cell research also say this technology devalue human life. 
Many pro-lifers like Roman Catholics and conservative Protestants raised their vice against 
Embryonic Stem Cell Research (ESCR). They claim that embryo is human being. During 
stem cell  extraction,  the  embryos  are  killed.  They  compare  the  method  as  murder  of 
human.  If  the  basis  for  protecting  embryos  is  that  they  have  the  potential  to  become 
reasoning beings, then, some argue, we have reason to ascribe a high moral status to the 
trillions  of  cells  that  share  this  potential  and  to  assist  as  many  of  these  cells  as  we 
reasonably can to realize their potential (Sagan & Singer 2007, Savulescu 1999). But it is 
morally permissible to kill an individual who is about to be killed by someone else where 
killing that individual will help others (Curzer, H. 2004)30. On the other hand researcher 
proved that stem cells are unable to grow in to a complete person except an organ. So stem 
cell  cannot  create  a  human  life.  Some  parties  contend  that  embryos  are  not  humans, 
believing that the life of Homo sapiens only begins when the heartbeat develops, which is 
during the 5th week of pregnancy 31, or when the brain begins developing activity, which 
has been detected at 54 days after conception 32. Moreover in many countries abortions are 
legal. So a logical argument is why not using them for stem cell research or treatments? 
The US government has declared embryonic stem cell  research legal in this year.  This 
order will give motion in embryonic stem cell research. The importance of embryonic stem 
cell research can be understood from President Barack Obama speech. In a speech before 
signing  the  executive  order,  President  Obama  noted  the  following:  “Today,  with  the 
Executive Order I am about to sign, we will bring the change that so many scientists and 
researchers; doctors and innovators; patients and loved ones have hoped for, and fought 
for, these past eight years: we will lift the ban on federal funding for promising embryonic 
stem cell research. We will vigorously support scientists who pursue this research. And we 
will aim for America to lead the world in the discoveries it  one day may yield”  33. By 
executive order on March 9, 2009, President Barack Obama removed certain restrictions 
on federal funding for research involving new lines of human embryonic stem cells. Not 
onlyin  U.S.A  but  also  other  developed  countries  take  initiative  step  about  stem  cell 
research.They  make  different  types  of  law  to  control  the  stem  cell  researchfor  their 
country. Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, and Ireland do not allow the production of 
embryonic stem cell lines, the creation of embryonic stem cell lines is permitted in Finland, 
Greece,  the  Netherlands,  Sweden, and the  United Kingdom 34.  According to  a January 
9,2007 Daily Telegraph (London) article reporting on a statement by Dr. Anthony Atala of 
Wake Forest University, the fluid surrounding the fetus has been found to contain stem 
cells that,  when utilized correctly,  "can be differentiated towards cell types such as fat, 
bone, muscle, blood vessel, nerve and liver cells", according to the article. The extraction 
of this fluid is not thought to harm the fetus in any way. "Our hope is that these cells will 
provide a valuable resource for tissue repair and for engineered organs as well," said Dr 
Atala  35. The developed countries also involved in embryonic stem cell  research. In 23 
January 2009 - The United States  Food and Drug Administration approves clinical trials 
for human embryonic stem cell therapy 36. In case of extraction of adult stem cells there are 

29

http://www.religioustolerance.org/res_stem12.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_and_Drug_Administration_(United_States)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wake_Forest_University
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweden
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netherlands
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greece
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finland
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ireland
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denmark
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austria
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homo_sapiens
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embryo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stem_cell_line
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embryonic_stem_cell
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embryonic_stem_cell


Bangladesh Journal of Bioethics 2010;1(3):22-34

no major ethical concerns. Bioethicist Dr. Nigel Cameron said, "We know that adult stem 
cells, which have no ethical problem, can do the job, as well" 37.

However,  recently  it  has  been  shown  in  principle  that  adult  stem  cell  lines  can  be 
manipulated to generate embryonic - like stem cell lines using a single-cell biopsy similar 
to that used in preimplantation genetic diagnosis that may allow stem cell creation without 
embryonic  destruction  38.  It  can be said easily stem cells  have a huge promise to help 
mankind.  It  saves  life  and  cure  diseases.  This  creates  a  very strong moral  demand  to 
explore their potential. Stem cell therapy business is becoming a key factor in economy in 
developed countries. In U.S.A this business is increasing day by day.  This is shown in 
following chart:

Fig  :  Stem  Cell  Market  Analysis  Fact  Sheet of  the 2nd  Annual  Stem  Cell  Summit, 
February 12-13 at San Diego 39,

On the  above chart  it  has  been  shown clearly  that  stem cell  therapy business  has  far 
reaching effect in U.S.A. economy.

Result and discussion: At present creating a new stem cell line for mammals is difficult; 
for  primates  including  humans  it  is  particularly  difficult.  In  spite  of  that  stem  cells 
treatment has shown a hope for the patient. In future it may be the key tools for treating 
various  diseases  .Future  stem  cells  study  could  also  increase  our  knowledge  about 
abnormal cell division and differentiation, which causes cancer and birth defects. However, 
iPS (induced pluripotent  stem cells) will  maybe  be the  wave of  the future.  They have 
various similar properties as embryonic stem cells. News was published in the Healthy Day 
news  paper  in  April  23,  2009  that  scientists  have  already  converted  adult  cells  into 

30

http://www.stemcellsummit.com/
http://www.stemcellsummit.com/stem-cell-fact-sheet.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preimplantation_genetic_diagnosis


Bangladesh Journal of Bioethics 2010;1(3):22-34

embryonic-like stem cells by using chemical programming. This may permit adult stem 
cells to work as embryonic stem cells without significant ethical concerns. Stem cell acts 
as a renewable source of replacement cells and tissues. This would greatly diminish the 
risk  of  rejection  in  any form of  transplant  operation.  For  unique  properties,  stem cell 
therapy is important   for today’s medical technology. Through research on this topic it is 
found that there is a significant mis-information about the stem cell research because some 
opponents of stem cell research are misguiding the public for their own political agendas. 
There  exists  a  social  and  scientific  uncertainty  about  stem cell  research,  which  could 
possibly  be  overcome  through  future  study,  and  further  education  of  the  public.  By 
allowing research and increasing funding the public will be informed more accurately and 
the true benefits of stem cells research will be more clearly realized. And that will make 
stem cell more beneficial for mankind.

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33. A debt of gratitude to so many tireless advocates.

34. As noted before, the production of hESC lines is currently illegal in Germany; the 1990 
Embryo  Protection  Act  prohibits  any utilization  of  the  embryo  that  does  not  serve  its 
preservation. ... Ireland, Austria, Denmark and France prohibit any production of hESC 
lines...Finland,  Greece,  the  Netherlands,  Sweden and the UK allows the  production  of 
hESC  lines  from  surplus  IVF  embryos."Peter  M.  Wiedemann,  Judith  Simon,  Silke 
Schicktanz  & Christof Tannert  (2004).  "The future of stem-cell  research in Germany". 
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