The Womb: The New Scientific Frontier? :: Pregnancy Fetus Papers

The Womb The New Scientific Frontier?In 1967 James Conniff, a reporter for the New York Times Magazine, wrote that the womb was the recent frontier of science (Maynard-Moody, 1995). His article, and a smattering of early(a) voices uncomfortable with foetal research, were a foreshadow of the great political and social contr oversy over the use of fetuses in scientific research. Prior to the Supreme Courts ruling in Roe vs. Wade in 1973, fetal research went on relatively peacefully without any protests from the public. After abortion was made legal by the Courts decision, the country was split between pro- and antiabortionists. While not their primary target, fetal research became another consequence used by the antiabortionists to further their political interests. Fetal research became a small skirmish in the bigger battle over abortion (Maynard-Moody, 1995). Representatives in government were sometimes choose based solely on their abortion position. The immense political publi c press brought on by the antiabortionists caused otherwise pro-research politicians to vote for bans on fetal research. A ban on federally-funded fetal research was put in dwelling house by the Reagan Administration and continued through Bushs years in office. A day after Clinton was inaugurated, he lifted this ban.The political and social competition surrounding the use of fetuses has not died down or been resolved, however. No angiotensin converting enzyme doubts the value that fetal cells might have in the treatment or cure of many diseases, but the arguments on both sides of this issue stack with ethical considerations. The basic factor that informs both sides is how they define the rights of the fetus. On sensation side is the view that if the fetus is nonviable or is going to be aborted anyway, it is just tissue that should not go to waste. The other side of this issue are those that consider it immoral to use tissue from abortions. One power of this view is John Cardin al Krol who said, If there is a more horrific crime than abortion itself, it is using the victims of abortion as living kind-hearted guinea pigs (Maynard-Moody, 1995).Steven Maynard-Moody, in his book The Dilemma of the Fetus, discusses the underlying tension that makes this and other medical advances such as gene therapy or human re-create so controversial in our society. He says that the underlying tension is the attrition between our addiction to progress and our fear that science erodes human value (Maynard-Moody, 1995). He gives the example of the tragedy of the medieval Dr.