Stem cell research is becoming more of a taboo topic as many people of the United States move into a seemingly more anti-abortion stance.

Stem cells come from a fetus that is between three to five days old (the clump of cells is called a blastocyst at this point) and can be used to reverse the effects of chemotherapy, and help repair damaged muscle.

According to the Mayo Clinic, stem cell research and transplants can also replace neurons damaged by any spinal cord injustices, improve the symptoms of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and produce insulin to help people with diabetes. Adult stem cells can be used as well, but they are not as useful and can only be used to work with certain types of tissues, unlike the cells of a fetus which are more malleable.

According to the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, the cells from these fetuses are donated with full consent from the donors and are from cells that were created by in vitro fertilization at various medical research clinics. Stem cells can also be collected from the placenta of a new born baby.

Stem cell research is viewed by a lot of people as the destruction of a human fetus, and that could not be farther from the truth. At three to five days old, a fetus is just a clump of cells.

It has no distinct characteristics other than it is made from the same cells as humans are. Many people think that it is unethical because these cells are possible humans, and instead of being used to create life, it is used for something completely different.

Let’s say that we cut off all funding for research having to do with stem cells, including medical procedures using stem cells to repair parts of the body. This would prohibit many people from getting their bodies back to normal after receiving intense chemotherapy treatment, or due to being affected by a neurological disease.

The benefits of this type of research helps so many people that it would be ridiculous to choose a clump of cells over helping people who have been on this earth, making a difference in their own ways. It is inhumane to pick something so small, over helping a human obtain better quality of life.

It is understandable why people would be so against this, but the pros far outweigh the cons. It is an amazing scientific discovery that scientists can take new, healthy cells, and use them to repair damage.

The people against it should stop and think about how many lives can be changed or possibly saved in the future with more testing being done. It is amazing that scientists have even found out that it was possible to use cells to repair parts of the body that have been damaged.

Just imagine what kind of scientific discoveries scientists will be able to make in 10 years from now that could completely change our lives. It all starts with discoveries like this.