It seems all the chat right now is about the new process of using cow's eggs to help create human embryos. Cow's eggs are readily avaliable from slaughterhouses as oppose to human eggs which are closely regulated and scarce. The gist of the theory is that human DNA, taken from skin cells, is injected into the cow's egg and allowed to grow into an embryo after some stimulation. The embyro is then harvested at an early stage ("smaller than a pinhead"). The stem cells collected can be used to aid research into curing degenerative diseases such as luekaemia, diabetes and Alzheimer's. The embryo would be approximately 99.9% human, and 0.01% cow. I think was this is a wonderful theory, and it's realisation is just as spectacular. The sheer fact that we can do these kinds of things is a testament to the distance modern medicine has travelled. But unfortunately, as usual, there are certain groups of public opinion that disaprove with the experiments. They have various arguments against the science, and all, in my opinion, are flawed. Many groups, including but not limited to religious groups, argue that to create and kill an embryo is murder, an unlawful and unethical ceasing of life. To begin with, using my rather intermediatary knowledge of genetics, it is very probable that the chimera (embryo of 2 or more creatures) would not survive to anywhere near full term, even if given optimum surroundings. The body has a natural way of terminating flawed embryos, and this is the most common reason for miscarriage. In addition, it is under contention if these oligocellular embryos should even be classed as life. I understand that this is a possibility, and many people have argued persistently for this distinction. But I'll tell you what life really is to me. Life is the 35 year old mother of three with luekaemia. Life is the 50 year old builder with half a mortgage and early onset Parkinson's. Life is the baby that will never leave hospital, speak, or walk. And if we have to cull a few 16-cell organisms to give this people healthy, happy lives where there would otherwise have been only pain and sadness, then call me a murderer. Another basically flawed argument is that we shouldn't "play God". Well, to be frank, God isn't helping with these diseases, so why shouldn't we? I know I'm an atheist, but if God gave us the sick, and the tools to cure, then what's the problem?
Of course, with every ethical debate, there is a grey area, and eventually, either side, black and white. The problem with allowing these kinds of experiments is that one day we may slip into the unethical without even noticing. Harvesting (such a morbid word, by
the way) stem cells from disabled children, for example. But currently, I believe we are firmly on the right path.On a lighter note (and an immense tangent) a hero of mine has passed away....yes, Momofuku Ando. No? Never heard of him? The inventor of instant noodles. Click here.
As for me, got some surprise birthday presents form the girlfriend yesterday, including a poster, book, jumper, trip on the "Bristol Eye" and night in a posh hotel. I'm starving myself in waiting for my curry tonight (at last!) and hopefully I can thoroughly embarress myself by downing a vindaloo and suffering the after effects.
Finally got my mark back for an essay we did last term, I chose congenital heart disease for mine. I love it how we have an extremely strict procedure and deadline for handing in essay, but when it comes to the School of Medicine's feedback date, it gets universally ignored. And they only have to write down ONE letter... Anyways, I got 5 out of 5 on four of the criteria, and 4 out of 5 on the other. Should be enough for an A, but this is the School of Medicine we're talking about here....Deadlined essay are my ponchant anyway, for my sins, I need to start backing them up with some As in other places.
Adios for now. Alex
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