RESUMO
Because of its special features of cell differentiation, regeneration, and even passible re-growth of organs, stem cell research, which started at the end of the last century and has been making progress up to now, has triggered another biomedical revolution and has been hailed as the most important biomedical achievement towards the end of the 20th century. But at the same time because embryonic stem cells involve embryonic lives of human beings and tissue and organ re-growth, stem cell research has from the date of its birth prompted widespread ethical debate among biomedical and law specialists, philosophers and politicians. The paper briefly reviews the achievements that have been made in stem cell research and relevant ethical debate. It also puts forward the authors' viewpoints on the ethical issues involved and their effect on the future development of medical treatment.