Stem cells are crucial to develop organisms. They are non-specialized cells which have the potential to create other types of specific cells, such as blood, brain, tissue, or muscle cells. Some types of stem cells may be able to create all other cells in the body. Others have the potential to repair or replace damaged tissue or cells.
Over 100 million people around the world suffer from diseases that eventually may be treated more effectively or even cured with embryonic stem cell therapy. Stem cell research can potentially help treat a range of medical problems, such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, spinal cord injuries, birth defects, etc.
As promising as the use of human embryonic stem cells sounds, the practice raises many ethical issues, as it requires human cells, each of which is a life. By experimenting with these cells, many pro-life individuals regard this practice similar to murder and believe that scientists should not be messing with human life. (Explorable, 2012). In addition, the results of these experiments are not certain, many human embryonic cells (a.k.a life) will be destroyed in the process, so this raises the question, which has the higher value? An abortion or someone dying/suffering from a possible curable disease?