Ethics has always been something of interest to me. I see it being something that we as a species seem to be losing rapidly.
Only a hundred years ago people killed themselves rather than go against their principles. The shame of being found out or to have failed made people fall on their swords. Now we don’t seem to have any ethics whatsoever and even when caught with our hand in the till we just smile, make excuses and carry on.
So when I read about people questioning the ethics of things like stem cell research and the specific issue of is it ethical to allow voice box transplants I have to wonder exactly what it is that we think is unethical. Taking the voice box transplants as an example.
These people are going to receive a gift that will allow them to speak properly again and repair a part of themselves that has been damaged. Sounds good and very much something we should encourage. No one is killed or injured by this process. Even better.
Where do ethics come in?
Now I can understand where if I needed to sacrifice an unborn child to give this ‘gift’ but this seems to be using cells from his own body. It’s not even got the same ethical issues as a kidney transplant from a living donor. What is the big issue with Stem Cells? It’s not like we revere unborn human life anyway. I’m sure there is a logical solution to the issue.
It’s about time we sorted out these ethical issues and made some guidelines. Hopefully not those based on any religious documents or it will be unethical for me to eat bacon or replace someone’s heart valves with a pigs.
Medical Ethics
Ethics has always been something of interest to me. I see it being something that we as a species seem to be losing rapidly.
Only a hundred years ago people killed themselves rather than go against their principles. The shame of being found out or to have failed made people fall on their swords. Now we don’t seem to have any ethics whatsoever and even when caught with our hand in the till we just smile, make excuses and carry on.
So when I read about people questioning the ethics of things like stem cell research and the specific issue of is it ethical to allow voice box transplants I have to wonder exactly what it is that we think is unethical. Taking the voice box transplants as an example.
These people are going to receive a gift that will allow them to speak properly again and repair a part of themselves that has been damaged. Sounds good and very much something we should encourage. No one is killed or injured by this process. Even better.
Where do ethics come in?
Now I can understand where if I needed to sacrifice an unborn child to give this ‘gift’ but this seems to be using cells from his own body. It’s not even got the same ethical issues as a kidney transplant from a living donor. What is the big issue with Stem Cells? It’s not like we revere unborn human life anyway. I’m sure there is a logical solution to the issue.
It’s about time we sorted out these ethical issues and made some guidelines. Hopefully not those based on any religious documents or it will be unethical for me to eat bacon or replace someone’s heart valves with a pigs.