There are varying aspects to stem cell research that require close examination and analysis. Two main aspects of stem cell research that pose many questions, concerns, and controversy, are the moral and ethical issues of such research. The topic of stem cell research probes many moral and ethical issues that require thorough evaluation by the people in order to make wise decisions that will affect the human race. Every human being will be affected wither directly or indirectly by this scientific research and the applications of the research. Therefore, every individual is responsible for establishing and contributing their moral and ethical beliefs to influence the decisions that will affect our lives. It is necessary to come to a consensus on what is moral and ethical in the field of stem cell research.

            This necessity can be compared to deciding on the best candidate for presidency. In both instances, every individual needs to conduct research to learn the qualifications and disqualifications that help develop an informed decision. Next, there is a need to campaign or voice those beliefs; sharing with others as well as gaining perspectives from others. Finally, there is a need to vote on what is best. Hopefully people come to some overall consensus resulting in a moral and ethical decision and result that people can live with. Failure of the public to be a part of the moral and ethical decisions that affect their lives, will allow for the government and scientists to have complete control over what should be our decisions. It is like having the Electoral College decide for us.

            It is important to define the words ethic and moral. Using Dictionary.com, they define ethics as a set of principles of right conduct. Ethical is defined as being in accordance with the accepted process of right and wrong that govern the conduct of the profession. Moral is defined as being concerned with the judgment of the goodness or badness of human action and character[1].

            One of the main ethical issues is defining when life begins, either at fertilization or after at least four months of fertilization. There are concerns about when a human is created and if a embryo is considered a human, than it needs to be determined if it is ethical to destroy three day old lives. During embryonic stem cell research stem research, embryos between three to five days old are the ones most commonly used. By three days, the embryo already has active living cells that have the potential to lead to a fully functioning human life. Embryos are used for their stem cells in this research, but it is done by halting the change of them ever being able to fully develop into a human being. This research process has been recognized by some as killing a human life[2].

            It is necessary for individuals to come up with a moral perspective on when life begins and have valid reasons that support there belief. It is necessary to come up with a moral decision that could in affect either save or help destroy more embryos in the future for the sake of medical research. The laws formed to protect or use embryos will be largely based on the moral beliefs and outcries of the public.