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UCCA 102

Dr. Dedo

8 December 1998

Fetal Tissue Research is a relatively unexplored field of medicine that has much scientific promise. In experiments with animals such as mice, rats, and monkeys, scientists have discovered that fetal cells are effective in treating a wide range of conditions that do not have alternative medicinal methods of treatment. Researchers are able to transplant cells from an aborted fetus into a person suffering from one of several diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and diabetes. In addition, transplanting human fetal tissue enables researchers to create a human immune system in a mouse or rat to test new drugs and vaccines for diseases such as AIDS. While the possibilities for the use of fetal tissue are enormous, its use is very limited due to political and public debate.

Fetal tissue proves to provide a chance for people suffering from illnesses and injuries that involve non-regenerating cells. Non-regenerating cells are cells that a person possesses at birth. The body does not possess the ability to re-grow these cells if they are somehow damaged or destroyed. Brain cells are an example of non-regenerating cells. If a person suffers a traumatic brain injury or is born with a defect in brain cells, there is little that can be done in modern medicine to prevent any long-term damage. Studies have shown, however, that the implanting of fetal brain cells can actually alleviate or retard brain damage in such situations. This type of treatment would actually provide doctors an effective option in over fifty-percent of brain injury or defect cases (Clayman 153).

Fetal tissue research is also effective in treating a commonly occurring disease in society known as Alzheimer's Disease (Begley 135). The effects of this tragic disease occur in three stages. A person that develops this disease becomes slightly forgetful during the first stage. In the second stage, the memory loss becomes more severe and causes the person to forget recent events and even some personal history. In the third stage, the person becomes disoriented, confused, and can no longer remember major facts about himself or herself that gives rise to condition best explained as permanent amnesia. The actual cause of this disease is still unknown. It is known, however, that the occurrence of this disease has risen eight percent in people over the age of sixty-five. This disease has even been found in its early stages in people as young as forty years of age. It is clear that since the cause is not known, prevention is not yet an option. In a recent study conducted by Northwestern Medical School, it was discovered that the use fetal cells actually retarded the development of Alzheimer's disease in the first two stages by a rate of thirty-four percent. There is still a significant amount of testing that must be done before this treatment is available to the general public, but researchers in this field are confident that fetal cells are the first step towards a cure to Alzheimer's.

One of the most tantalizing targets for fetal-tissue therapy is Parkinson's disease. More than 500,000 Americans suffer from this disorder in which the motor-control area of the brain does not receive a steady supply of the neurotransmitter dopamine from a region of the brain that the disease has managed to wipe out (Begley 136). The disease renders patients so that they cannot control their movements; they suffer tremors, rigidity, and eventually paralysis. Drugs that stimulate the development of dopamine have terrible side effects and become less effective over the course of time. After years of animal experiments, researchers hit on the idea of implanting a permanent source of dopamine into the brains of Parkinson's patients. That source was neural cells from fetuses. In 1988, Dr. Curt Freed of the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center performed America's first fetal-cell implant into a Parkinson's patient (Begley 136). Don Nelson, the fifty-two year old patient, was so far gone he could barely walk. Today, he has returned to his profession as a woodworker and is taking no medication.

Fetal tissue has even been used to treat people that suffer from diabetes. There are 14 million people that suffer from diabetes in the United States. This year, over 200,000 will die from complications of the disease in which the pancreas does not produce the vital hormone insulin. Since 1987, a University of Colorado team led by immunologist Kevin Lafferty has transplanted fetal pancreatic tissue into sixteen diabetics. In each of them, the tissue insinuated itself into the patient's tissues and survived. None of the patients has been able to stop insulin shots completely, however all of them have reduced the number of shots they require by at least 50 percent. (Begley 135)

Since most of the tissue used in this research comes from voluntarily aborted fetuses, the ethics of fetal tissue research have become entangled in the debate of the abortion issue. It must be understood that abortion and fetal tissue research are two independent topics. Fetal tissue research is only an issue since abortion is legal. At the present time, a majority of aborted fetuses are wasted by disposal. The American public must consider that these fetuses have the capability to save numerous lives. Although the abortion issue may be debated, there is no reason to debate this cause that has the potential to save lives so long as abortion is legal.

Fetal tissue research has proven to have many beneficial uses in the medical profession. It cannot go without consideration, however, that fetal tissue research is not being used to the full potential that it possesses. During the Reagan and Bush presidencies, federal funding for fetal tissue research was stopped due to strong debate of the abortion issue. In 1996, Clinton reinstated funding for this research (Begley 137). Although fetal tissue research is now legal, it has not shown to be as active as other forms of research. This is partially due to opposition in Congress to adequately fund this cause. Researchers are hesitant to work in this field because it is so politically driven and unstable. In 1997, a bill was again introduced in Congress to ban this research (Begley 136). This bill was rejected by a popular vote. Although this is a major triumph for researchers, there is still much to be done to make the rewards of this research available to the general public. If more research is conducted, the Food and Drug Administration will be more apt to approve its use in general medical treatment. This research will only come about with more federal funding and support. This federal support stems from public opinion and understanding that is conveyed to legislators. It is the responsibility of the American people to let their lawmakers know what is in the interest of the people. An influx of support for this cause on the part of the public would only serve to hasten the progress that has already been made in this field.

Fetal Tissue Research shows much promise to provide modern day medicine a new outlook upon diseases that have been deemed incurable. This research has many doctors optimistic about a cure for AIDS and other terminally incurable diseases. The goal of the medical profession is to help those who cannot help themselves in the area of health. This research proves to be the only chance some people have to sustain life. It is only feasible that fetal tissue be used to provide doctors a means to help those that have no other chance.

Brittanica Online—Samford Library

Clinical Reference Systems. "Alzheimer’s Disease" Dec.1994.P.50

Clayman, MD, Charles. The American Medical Association. Family

Begley, Sharon. "Cures from the Womb." Newsweek 22 February 1993