Student Article High School Science Journal Author: Alexander Javier

Testing on Humans

July 12, 2006

There is much controversy on the ethics of testing on animals in today’s society. Animal rights groups such as PETA are in a frenzy of media protesting the tests that are helping advance our scientific knowledge. There are other solutions as well; one possibility is to test on humans. Not testing pointless hair care products, but real scientific achievements, things like stem cell research and DNA remodeling. Because after all, you cant tell how human genes are going to react to changes by testing those changes on animals.
Stem cell research is getting a lot of political and media acknowledgement because of the ethical issues behind it. Stem cell research involves taking stem cells out of an adult or an embryo and, for the reason that these cells haven't differentiated yet, forcing them to change into specialized cells such as nerve, brain, or other cells that don’t undertake mitosis. Because the original cells don’t divide, if they are damaged or they become mutated, the cells will not be able or repair themselves. Stem cell research would be beneficial to human because if a person were to have a damaged spinal cord, the person could get the nerve cells transplanted and then have full function of their body again. This is getting so much political attention because many people think it is ethically and morally wrong to harvest stem cells from other humans or embryos and grow new specialized body parts. This hampering of scientific advancement by our country’s religious background has been causing problems for science since the Industrial Revolution.
Another example of an ethically controversial issue is researching DNA and manipulating genes. Scientists have been trying to unlock the secrets of how the human genome works since it was mapped. One of the main purposes of this would be to fix genetic problems and diseases. The difficulty of this is that there are so many parts to the human genome that it would take years to find a specific gene to turn on or off. This research is beneficial because it could find a way to manipulate human DNA to make them immune to viruses and other ailments. The controversy behind this subject is that once people can find a way to manipulate human DNA they could theoretically genetically engineer people and make an artificial human. Society has a problem with this because once you remake a person; there is a question if it is really a person anymore? People’s superiority complex also hinders the research because if a superhuman is made, humans would be obsolete and no longer the fittest species.
Both these subjects should at least be studied further, regardless of ethics. Stem cell research could possibly help crippled people walk again and people with kidney failure would not have to wait for a new kidney but just grow a new one. Also DNA manipulation would be beneficial because scientist could remove the receptors for viruses like HIV from their genetic code. These studies could revolutionize the human world. People could not have to worry about viruses and even getting old if scientists could figure out a way to have all cells make telomerase. They only scary part about the possibilities of this technology is that it could be used to create super humans like the perfect warriors or politicians. These possibilities could be very dangerous in the wrong hands. Armies of genetically engineered people could take over the earth, but that would be a long way away, and if scientists use morals they will not create these armies.
Stem cell research could help injured people, while DNA manipulation could save lives from diseases and aging. Both of these scientific advances would help humanity greatly. Although the research has ethical issues, the consequences of the science technology are much better than the risks. Also if scientists really wanted to study these subjects for sinister reasons laws would not stop them. And isn’t at least trying to find ways to help people better than not trying at all?

 
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