Overview

Every day, newspapers and television news programs present stories on the latest controversies over healthcare and medical advances, but they do not have the space to provide detailed background on the issues. Websites and weblogs provide information from activists and partisans intent on presenting their side of a story. But where can students - or even ordinary citizens - go to obtain unbiased, detailed background on the medical issues affecting their daily lives? This volume in the Health and Medical Issues Today series provides readers and researchers a balanced, in-depth introduction to the medical, scientific, legal, and cultural issues surrounding stem cells and its import in today's world of healthcare. Stem Cells is organized to provide researchers with easy access to the information they need: • Section 1 provides overview chapters on the background information needed to intelligently understand the issues and controversies surrounding stem cell research, such as what stem cells are, and how they are grown and maintained. • Section 2 offers capsule examinations of the contemporary issues and debates that provoke the most heated disagreements and misunderstandings, such religious concerns and regulations in various countries. • Section 3 includes reference material on stem cells, including primary source documents from important players in the struggle over stem cells, a timeline of important events, and an annotated bibliography of useful print and electronic resources. This volume in the Health and Medical Issues Today series provides everything a student requires to understand the issues involved in stem cell research and provides a springboard for further research into the issue.

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9780313337635

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Reviews

Kelly provides a balanced overview of the topic of stem cells, written in a style particularly accessible to nonspecialists in science or ethics. Joining numerous other recent publications, this book is especially appropriate for readers seeking background information and an understanding of the controversy inherent in this topic. Kelly explains important concepts and puts stem cell research in historical context by describing important events and discoveries. Readers get a crash course in the sources and cultivation of stem cells; diseases and disorders for which stem cells hold the promise of treatment; and tissue engineering, which focuses on devising techniques to grow or build replacement parts for human bodies. Kelly treats fully the challenging and multifaceted arena of human subjects research, including ethical principles and regulatory approaches used in the US and other countries; and she presents the varied religious viewpoints. A nice feature is the inclusion of primary research documents, annotated to show their relevance to the work at hand. A glossary, further reading list, and index add value. Recommended. Lower-/upper-level undergraduates, general readers, and professionals. - Choice The structure of this book is basically a modified outline, making the narrative easy for the unsophisiticated reader to keep the various sections organized in his or her mind. The progression of the topics in the background sections is logical and seems appropriate. The presentation is not too technical and is easy to read and understand. - SB&F Aimed at students and general readers, this volume provides a wealth of background information on this controversial field, describing what stem cells are, how they are cultivated in the laboratory, and how researchers hope they may be used in the treatment of various diseases and disorders. Ethical and religious considerations relating to stem cell research are also discussed. An annotated list of primary sources is found at the back of the volume, along with a glossary and timeline. - SciTech Book News

Kelly provides a balanced overview of the topic of stem cells, written in a style particularly accessible to nonspecialists in science or ethics. Joining numerous other recent publications, this book is especially appropriate for readers seeking background information and an understanding of the controversy inherent in this topic. Kelly explains important concepts and puts stem cell research in historical context by describing important events and discoveries. Readers get a crash course in the sources and cultivation of stem cells; diseases and disorders for which stem cells hold the promise of treatment; and tissue engineering, which focuses on devising techniques to grow or build replacement parts for human bodies. Kelly treats fully the challenging and multifaceted arena of human subjects research, including ethical principles and regulatory approaches used in the US and other countries; and she presents the varied religious viewpoints. A nice feature is the inclusion of primary research documents, annotated to show their relevance to the work at hand. A glossary, further reading list, and index add value. Recommended. Lower-/upper-level undergraduates, general readers, and professionals. -Choice

<p> Kelly provides a balanced overview of the topic of stem cells, written in a style particularly accessible to nonspecialists in science or ethics. Joining numerous other recent publications, this book is especially appropriate for readers seeking background information and an understanding of the controversy inherent in this topic. Kelly explains important concepts and puts stem cell research in historical context by describing important events and discoveries. Readers get a crash course in the sources and cultivation of stem cells; diseases and disorders for which stem cells hold the promise of treatment; and tissue engineering, which focuses on devising techniques to grow or build replacement parts for human bodies. Kelly treats fully the challenging and multifaceted arena of human subjects research, including ethical principles and regulatory approaches used in the US and other countries; and she presents the varied religious viewpoints. A nice feature is the inclusion of primary

Kelly provides a balanced overview of the topic of stem cells, written in a style particularly accessible to nonspecialists in science or ethics. Joining numerous other recent publications, this book is especially appropriate for readers seeking background information and an understanding of the controversy inherent in this topic. Kelly explains important concepts and puts stem cell research in historical context by describing important events and discoveries. Readers get a crash course in the sources and cultivation of stem cells; diseases and disorders for which stem cells hold the promise of treatment; and tissue engineering, which focuses on devising techniques to grow or build replacement parts for human bodies. Kelly treats fully the challenging and multifaceted arena of human subjects research, including ethical principles and regulatory approaches used in the US and other countries; and she presents the varied religious viewpoints. A nice feature is the inclusion of primary research documents, annotated to show their relevance to the work at hand. A glossary, further reading list, and index add value. Recommended. Lower-/upper-level undergraduates, general readers, and professionals. - Choice

Author Information

Evelyn B. Kelly, Ph.D., is a writer, educator, and community activist living in Ocala, Florida. She specializes in writing about the diseases and disorders of the nervous and endocrine systems and enjoys tackling cutting edge research. Throughout her years as a writer, she has written 10 books and over 400 articles on many topics.

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