Stem Cells and Sudden Changes: The Ethics of the Cutting Edge

Article by CatholicTech Intern Dominic Andres

The results of the early clinical trials of a new medical procedure were just published. In it, stem cells are used to repair damage to the eye. While the treatment is proving effective on previously untreatable damage, not all stem cell treatments are ethical. This clash between morality and utility illuminates the importance of strong ethical standards in scientific fields.

Stem cells are one of the body’s most important repair mechanisms. Cellular reproduction, which happens by division, is key in the maintenance of the body and the repair of injuries. Most cell types, however, quickly lose their ability to divide, leaving the body vulnerable to damage and wear. Stem cells help fix this problem. Not only do they retain their divisibility much longer than other cells,  but also one of the two new cells remains a stem cell, while the other can be nearly any type of cell.
  
This makes stem cells an extremely useful medical tool, especially in treating diseases like leukemia, which effect the ability of certain cell types to properly reproduce. Further, they have potential to repair damage which was previously untreatable, with possible application in treating paralysis, autoimmune disorders, and even type 1 diabetes. This makes understanding stem cells a strong priority, and puts related technologies at the forefront of medical research.
  
One new treatment which uses stem cells is being explored in clinical trials in the US, the first of which just concluded. The trials show that stem cells are effective at treating previously untreatable corneal damage. The trial is the first clinical trial of stem cell treatments for the eye in the United States. 

The cornea, the outermost layer of the eye, is a transparent lens which bends light into the pupil. While the rim of the cornea contains a number of stem cells, they have limited regenerative capability, so when the cornea suffers serious damage, they are often insufficient for repairs. This can leave patients with permanent loss of vision and chronic pain.
  
The new procedure takes stem cells from a healthy human eye, and uses a novel manufacturing process to produce new tissue for the cornea, which can be used to repair the damage. The trials had a high success rate and almost no complications. The procedure is a great step towards helping those with ocular damage, and an excellent example of the possibilities stem cell therapies afford.

Unfortunately, stem cell research has some serious ethical issues. Adult stem cells are usually specialized, only able to produce one other kind of cell when they divide. Embryonic stem cells, however, are pluripotent, with the ability to become nearly any other kind of cell. This makes them extremely useful in treatments and research. Unfortunately, most processes for harvesting embryonic stem cells involve destroying the embryo, that is, killing an unborn child.

While not all stem cells are harvested using such unethical methods (as for example those used in the clinical trials mentioned above), it’s impossible to ignore the temptation to overlook ethics in favor of utility. In this case we’re lucky, and there technologies are being developed as alternatives to the use of embryonic stem cells. Still, it’s clear that scientists need guidance in their research.
  
As in other cases, the best source of moral guidance is the Church. With 18,000 clinics and 5,500 hospitals, in nations from Germany to Ghana, the Church is the largest non-government healthcare provider in the world. She is in an unparalleled position to guide medical developments, so long as her members will step up and assist her. Let us pray that God provide us with good doctors, engineers, and scientists, and holy priests and bishops who will guide them in their work to improve the world.