Shakoor Afzal
J. Haigler
Speech 2nd
3/25/15
Resolved: Stem Cell Research Should be Banned in the U.S.­ Affirmative
For clarity of the resolution in this debate, I offer the following definitions from the Merriam
Webster Dictionary. Stem Cell­ a simple cell in the body that is able to develop into any one of various kinds of cells (such as blood cells, skin cells, etc.). Ban­ to forbid people from using
(something); to say that something cannot be used or done.
My supreme value for this round is life because it is our basic right. When the stem cells are taken out of an embryo, the embryo is destroyed. This is morally incorrect and unnatural in the society that we live in today. No matter what era we’re in, the action will always be morally wrong. I affirm the resolutions with the following contentions, each of which upholds my value:
Contention 1 is that stem cell research is costing lot of money and there has not been a successful outcome. Since 1998, have received have spent $3 billion in private funding for their benefit.
Celebrity Michael J. Fox, who is a patient of Parkinsons Disease, has been used to show the media that stem cells are curing diseases, when there are no real cures or therapies with stem cells. These scientists have become so stressed and pressured that they are forced to make accusations about stem cell research when, in fact, no viable cure has been recorded to this day.
Contention 2 is that experiments of stem cell research are a threat to women and patients. Human eggs are the leading source of material for stem cell research, egg donation is necessary, and

women may be paid thousands of dollars for each harvested egg. To receive eggs, women will be given a treatment that stimulate the ovaries and cause them to grow, and then a needle is inserted to remove the egg.
According to a 2006 article published in the American Journal of Medical Science, 10 percent of egg donors can develop ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, which affects the blood flow to the ovaries and can lead to life­threatening blood clots. Thousands of eggs may be needed for a single research project, and the stem cell industry is placing thousands of women at risk. We should never admit to this procedure because of the fact that it can hurt women. Also, the experiments that have been conducted caused many problems in that field. Tissues are being made rapidly by the stem cells. Pluripotent cells divide rapidly, there is a greater chance that genetic errors will occur during cell division, potentially leading to cancer or other disorders. A story was published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and it talked about how in 2002, they modeled Parkinson’s Disease by implanting embryonic stem cells into their brain tissue. More than 20% of the rats had developed brain tumors and the researchers say that they were benign, meaning that the tumor wouldn’t spread to other parts of the body. They failed to mention that even if it is benign, it’s in an important part of the body which is the brain and that is harmful, or even fatal. According to a journal called Neurology, researchers gave grafted cells from a fetal tissue to a Parkinson's patient. Obviously, the cells developed a tumor and the patient died. The Annals of Neurology took a study where they, again used fetal stem cells on
Parkinson's patients. The result was more than half of the patients developing disorders that involved irregular movement.

In conclusion, having supporting my value of life, I must affirm the resolution that stem cell research should be banned in the U.S., thus, I urge an affirmative ballot.
To start of my rebuttal, I will restate my opponents contentions and the resolution. In this rebuttal, I plan to attack my opponents contentions and other points, and, if time permits, proceed to defend my own.
Resolved: Stem cell research should be banned in the U.S.
My opponents 1st contention