Problem
Why is the task of disposing of unused frozen human embryos different from disposing of other medical tissue?
Disposing of human embryos is quite different from disposing of other medical tissue. One side argues that it is unethical to dispose of human embryos because they consist of cells that can form into a human life. West Coast University (n.d.) explains that those on this side of the debate may believe that embryos should have moral rights and deserve to live because of their potential.
However, those on the other side of the debate believe that embryos are valuable for their stem cells and can be used to treat people with diseases such as Alzheimer's. Pence (2020) explains that people often debate the topic of frozen embryos and don't consider the thousands of embryos that are frozen and never implanted into uteri. If people are worried about the destruction of human embryos to help those with Alzheimer's, then why aren't they fighting for the thousands of embryos that are never unfrozen?
Disposing of other medical tissue is different from unused frozen human embryos because there isn't much debate about someone donating their own organs or tissues, since they are giving consent. However, disposing of frozen human embryos is different because people argue that an embryo is a potential human life that isn't able to consent to be destroyed to help someone with a disease, such as Alzheimer's.