Scientific innovation has made it possible to collect or harvest human cells for medical treatment or medical research purposes. This is what happens with stem cell harvesting and collection. The harvesting is that process of procedurally collecting stem cells from human body primarily to be used in either cancer or other related methods of treatment. Important to note is that the stem cells are either harvested or obtained from a person's blood or the patient's bone marrow. There are several methods of stem cell harvesting, but the commonly used ones include the peripheral blood stem cell harvest and the normal extraction by use of needles after injecting a patient with anesthetics (Tomasetti, 2017). The use of anesthetics method is also referred to as bone marrow harvest method, in this method bone marrow is extracted straight from the pelvic bones or other huge bones. On the other hand, the peripheral blood stem cell harvest method is termed as the safest method because blood is withdrawn from the patient’s arm stored into a special machine referred to as aphaeresis machine. The machine is responsible for separating the stem cells before it is injected back to the patient through the other arm. This method is mainly preferred because the patient undergoes recovery easily, it is easier, safer and there are fewer risks involved. This scientific advancement has left many people questioning the biomedical ethics surrounding the procedures of stem cell harvesting and transplant.
Scientifically, cells are understood as the basic unit that forms blocks of living organisms. It is through the cells division process, duplication or the increase in the number of cells that living organisms undergo growth. On the other hand, stem cells are described as the primitive or rather unspecialized cells in the living organisms that influence the processes of other types of cells. Stem cells have that capability of regenerating and developing into other different types of cells in living organisms. This being the case, this ability is viewed by scientist as one way of being able to treat or repair deceased, dead, or infected tissues or malfunctioning cells in human bodies. To understand the basics of stem cells, it is important also to identify what stem cells are. Definitively, stem cells are interpreted as the human cell substances that generate all other cells in the body with unique functionalities (Tomasetti, 2017). The generated cells are the new specialized cells that perform several functions such as the brain and the blood cells.
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Stem Cell Harvesting and Its Importance
Importantly, it is noteworthy that stem cells emanate from various sources. Firstly, it is noted that embryonic cells also produce stem cells. It is not available in all embryos, but it is mostly found in embryos referred to as the blastocyst , this is at least five days (De Miguel-Beriain, 2015). Essentially, this type of cells can multiply or form any type or form of cells in a human in body. Comparatively, this ability of the embryonic cells makes it possible to be used to offer treatment to some cell diseases or to repair and re-grow infected body tissues. Secondly, there is the bone marrow. Fundamentally, bone marrow is responsible for producing adult stem cells. These cells, however, have that limited ability to regenerate into various body cells. Majorly, these cells are used in treatment complications related to heart diseases or neurological issues. Thirdly, Cord blood is also another source of stem cells. Primarily, these stem cells or produced or found in human blood that is in the placenta or the umbilical cord. By and large, this type of cells is being used to treat conditions such as leukemia.
Related to the above, it is important to note that stem cells harvesting serves a myriad of importance. Primarily, these cells are useful in treating an endless list of both potential and existing diseases in human beings. It is notable that stem cells have the ability of self-renewal, where they never get phased out in a process referred to as proliferation. Similarly, stem cells can undergo differentiation process, a process that enables the cells to develop into specialized different functionalities. Noting the above the knowledge on stem cells and stem cells harvesting has helped researchers and scientists to decipher how infections or conditions occur in human beings or other living organisms by examining how stem cells regenerate and grow in laboratories. In this regard, it is possible to generate or recreate cells and substitute infected or deformed cells in what is referred to as a regenerative treatment. Such treatment includes; notorious cancer, heart diseases, and in some cases burns (De Miguel-Beriain, 2015). In the same breath, stem cells knowledge enables medical researchers and scientists to be able to test treatment methods or drugs needed for safety before releasing it commercially.
Summarily, stem cell harvesting has majorly transformed the medical research and treatment behaviors globally. This has been epitomized in the field of medical discoveries and drug research in terms of testing drug’s efficacy, effectiveness and the response of organisms to the said drugs. In the same breath, the same stem cells harvesting processes has majorly helped in research programs especially human beings growth and development. Comparatively, it is through stem cell research that it is possible to trace and understand the background and early phases of human beings. Stemming from this discovery, stem cells harvesting has played a major role in identifying treatment of infections and chronic diseases (Tomasetti, 2017). Today, it is possible to transplant organs and cells from one organism to another majorly for purposes of disease treatment through a process termed as cell therapy
Biomedical Ethics and Controversies
Significantly, it has been decades since stem cell harvesting was discovered. In the same breath, there has been an equal share of controversies and un-ending debates on the ethics of stem cell harvesting and research. Comparatively, to foster this process of stem harvesting, there has been increasing cases of embryo harvesting such as a result of abortion or in some cases the unwanted embryos that may have been acquired through In Vitro Fertilization process (Rudy, 2015). Primarily, to extract this type of cells, there is always that need to destroy an embryo that has a potential life. This is the position that has sparked controversies debates and diverse opinions on whether it is ethical to conduct stem cell harvesting or extraction.
Fundamentally, stem cell harvesting is unethical in a number of ways. Considerably, the ethical arising here revolves around embryonic stem cell harvesting. Notably, if the utilitarian theory of ethical theory is applied in such circumstances, the stem cell harvesting will be viewed as the right thing to do. This is because this theory posits that a person should take medical actions that seek to alleviate human pain and suffering but it is realizable that it is unacceptable to use human embryos for medical research. Practically, human life begins at conception. It is unethical to use embryos for harvesting stem cells to achieve the medical goals because embryos themselves are human life and there is no point of terminating one life to save another. According to Rudy (2015), t here is no doubt that human existence and life should be valued more than any other interest, as scholars argue, scientific discoveries and advancements cannot override human life. In the same breath, it is also important to note that however much science is vital in human advancement and healthy existence, using or destroying human embryos for scientific progress is akin to dismissing the existence of human life. In the same breath, the Nuremberg Code posits that there should be no harm while conducting while conducting scientific experiments or research. Similarly, religion views it as inhuman and unethical to terminate human life.
Moreover, it is notable that stem cell is also illegal and equally immoral, it more of logic that embryos are life if not potential life itself. Destroying embryos to extract stem cells is itself killing human life. Terminating, causing risks or injuring human life is illegal (Panno, 2014). This situation also poses a moral dilemma for researchers and scientist conducting stem cell harvesting. The dilemma arises where there is the need to protect, respect the value of human beings and at the same time have the duty to alleviate or stop human suffering by stem cells harvesting and treatment.
Essentially, another most crucial biomedical ethics is related to consent from the donors of stem cells materials. Stem cells harvesting uses human subjects, and under the Nuremberg Code, there is a requirement that consent must be acquired from the donor on the usage of the harvested stem cells mainly if it is being harvested from the human embryos. This is related to emotional attachment by human beings to their organs otherwise the reproductive cells (Panno, 2014). Here the unethical issues arising are the extent to which the harvested stem cells are used. There are cases of patenting and commercializing the stem cells and the treatment process without the consent of the donors. On the other hand, it is notable that the ethical issues do not only arise from embryonic stem cells harvesting, but it is also related with the scientific process of creating or manufacturing Chimeras in other adult stem cells (Tomasetti & Vogelstein, 2017). Creating chimeras is referred to Oocyte harvesting; chimeras are used essentially to create further advanced embryonic stem cells however the ethical concerns revolve around the safety of the patients or the person donating the particular materials.
Notably, the processes of stem cells harvesting have been proved to be more advantageous to human health through the discoveries cell therapy and vast treatment range of deceases such as cancer, diabetes and heart complications among other health complications that may need stem cell diagnosis. However, it becomes an issue where justice and medical ethics is defeated. Justice principle provides that scientific discoveries and benefits should be offered and distributed with equality among the population or the society at large. This principle also indicates that there should be fairness in distributing medical resources that are scarce and rare, and make treatment or the scientific stem cells therapy or treatment is easily accessible and affordable (Panno, 2014). However, in this case, the process of stem cell harvesting and treatment has proven to be expensive and in the same breath making access to this type of treatment much costly and not accessible to the society.
Another biomedical ethics issue that arises is related to respect for human life. Respecting human life translates to respecting human reproductive materials and embryos. Through stem cell harvesting deviates and in some circumstances violates and abuses this aspect. As earlier noted above, advancement in stem cell harvesting in most cases leads to commercialization of the whole process which is fundamentally disrespecting to human life. In the same breath, there is also ethical issue concerned with human dignity. This is the relation of humanity and the essence of taking care of the human life from conception to potential maturity (Panno, 2014). The destruction of human embryos to achieve stem cell therapy or treatment materials is itself a reflection of lack of humanity, disrespect to human life and basically against the desired biomedical ethics. Further, the issue of harvesting fetal materials is majorly associated with cases of increasing abortions. Above all, abortion is unacceptable, immoral and also unethical in the society. In some cases, human beings are influenced to abort, and in most cases, this is out of undue influence, and their consent is not properly procured thereby making the whole process controversial. Essentially in some cases, some women may be paid to produce the fetal materials for harvesting stem cells, and this is only achievable through abortions (Rudy, 2015). These acts are immoral and defeat the benefits of stem cells harvesting.
In other words, it is notable that stem cells harvesting may not wholly be beneficial on the face of it, there are cases where embryonic stem cells have been identified to be the cause of other related health complication in human beings. This complication has been epitomized by the growth of tumors, especially where the patient has received prior stem cell therapy. In the same breath, this challenge has also been experienced through the use of adult cells, adult stem cells may not be readily be changed or regenerated, and in this circumstances, the focus will be directed in the use of fetal materials and embryonic sources (De Miguel-Beriain, 2015) . In the same breath, the inability to regenerate makes the process limited in its usage. Notably, the means of harvesting stem cell are a difficult and costly process. An instance is the obtaining embryonic stem cells are done through the embryo being grown in some form of culture, a process that is also time-consuming. This problematic process makes it hard to achieve the benefits and intended objective of stem cells harvesting.
Fundamentally, it is desirable to note that stem cell harvesting and stem cells treatment is one of the unproven treatment methods in the medical and science field. In the same breath, it is of concern that potential side effects of stem cell treatment method are not known or guaranteed. The rapid cell harvesting and therapy/treatment on a variety of disease and infections have shown tremendous result and negative impacts equally (Rudy, 2015). The only challenges are that the impact of the side effects is still not yet identified. This situation creates a medical dilemma which is a biomedical ethics issue.
In conclusion, there have been several controversies and debates on the biomedical ethics surrounding stem cell harvesting and treatment. Stem cell harvesting is done through two significant methods; that is through adult cells which are referred to as the bone marrow stem cell harvesting. Secondly, there is the process of using fetal materials and embryonic cells to harvest stem cells. When this stem cell is collected, they are taken through the scientific process, developed to form new treatment methods on human pluripotent stem cells that form part of the vast treatment method of diseases such as hearty complication and cancer conditions. These conditions include illness such as leukemia, limbic deficiencies lymphoma achieved through transplant of bone marrow. However, the growing controversies and biomedical concerns pose a threat to the objectivity of stem cells harvesting. However, it's notable that other ways of stem cell are ethically acceptable. This may be done through the use of adult stem cells extracted from bone marrow.
References
De Miguel-Beriain, I. The ethics of stem cells revisited. Advanced drug delivery reviews 82 (2015), 176-180.
Panno, J. (2014). Stem cell research: Medical applications and ethical controversy . New York, NY: Infobase Publishing.
Rudy, B. (2015). Embryonic Stem Cell Research, the Ethics, and the Alternatives. Augustana Digital Commons. Retrieved on 25 April 2018, from https://digitalcommons.augustana.edu/ethicscontest/4/.
Tomasetti, C., Li, L., & Vogelstein, B. (2017). Stem cell divisions, somatic mutations, cancer etiology, and cancer prevention. Science , 355 (6331), 1330-1334.
