I think that the issue of prion research is similar to the issue of stem cell research. Both of these subjects touch upon similar concerns about the health of the public, responsibilities of the government, and the trustworthiness of scientists and the scientific method. Such similarities to be found between prions and stem cell research result in comparable stakes for these two issues. Like the issue of prions, the issue of stem cell research has short- and long-term stakes as well as abstract and concrete stakes. It deals with providing a possible treatment to disease in the short term and developing a long term solution. It deals with developing cures for diseases and increasing our knowledge of biology. Both of these issues are new areas of scientific research that have received the attention of the media so that the public has been made aware of them. They are subjects that have a lot of stakes for the general public, and thus, they are interesting to the general public. Both of them are a health concern for the public and the government with many varied stakes. Stem cell research, in fact, may be better known by the public, and thus, it may be the bigger issue in the eye of the public. Stem cell research also contains an issue of moral controversy, and this introduces a whole new range of both short- and long-term stakes as well as absolute and concrete stakes. Stem cell research deals with short term outrage over moral debate and the adjustment of long term societal values. It deals with understanding the opinions formed by society and with developing appropriate laws. Both prion diseases and stem cell research touch upon similar concerns, and they both encompass a large range of stakes which makes them interesting and concerning to the public.