Letter-to-the-editor: Ethical concerns over stem cell research

The recent breakthrough that may allow scientists to create human embryonic stem cells without destroying embryos may move stem cell conversations beyond the deliberative quagmire of abortion politics and embryos' moral status. But it would be misguided to think that whether or not an embryo is destroyed marks the only ethical or social concern. Stem cell research may lead to therapies for devastating diseases. But will designer medicines premised on stem cell research be affordable to anyone other than the wealthy, particularly after California's taxpayers invested nearly $6 billion in their development? How will researchers obtain the eggs necessary to pursue this research, and how will this affect women's health? How can we oversee these technologies and their applications while ensuring that a growing industry with the keys to life's building blocks acts in the public's interest?

How embryos are treated with regard to stem cell research is unquestionably important. But equally important is how we treat each other.