Evaluation of the knowledge about stem-cells by undergraduate students of courses of the health area from Universidade Estadual de Londrina – what students know and what their opinions are

DOI: 10.15343/0104-7809.200832.1.5

Abstract

Stem-cells are considered in this beginning of century a historical landmark in the new curative medicine and opens horizons for the future
of science. Even taking into account advances in science, the appropriate study of these cells creates ambiguity regarding values. If on the one hand
there is the prospect of curing diseases classified until recently as “incurable”, on the other hand, one questions its effectiveness and the use of human
embryos. The information runs in a sped up rhythm when propagated by the media, leaving the university as a secondary source in the search for this
information. This study had the aim of identifying the level of knowledge and information of pupils of the courses of the health area of State University
of Londrina concerning the considered subject. For doing this, 42 (forty two) pupils of the medical and nursing course physiotherapy and pharmacy
were interviewed. One evidenced that the majority of pupils still have much difficulty to discuss the conceptual aspects of stem-cells. Most of them
show to be against a law that defines the beginning of human life and to the production of embryos for research purposes. They believe that cultural
and religious factors must be considered in discussions on frozen human embryos and had evaluated disciplines such as Bioethics as insufficient and
innocuous during undergraduate years.