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This topic has become a politically and religiously charged subject that often crosses party lines. Here is an overview of the subject:
Quote:
A stem cell is a primitive type of cell that can be coaxed into developing into most of the 220 types of cells found in the human body (e.g. blood cells, heart cells, brain cells, etc). Some researchers regard them as offering the greatest potential for the alleviation of human suffering since the development of antibiotics. Over 100 million Americans and two billion other humans worldwide suffer from diseases that may eventually be treated more effectively with stem cells or even cured. These include heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.
Stem cells can be extracted from very young human embryos -- typically from surplus frozen embryos left over from in-vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures at fertility clinics. A couple undergoing IVF is faced with four alternatives for their 16 or so surplus embryos:
Have them discarded.
Donate the embryos to another infertile couple in what is sometimes called "embryo adoption.".
Donate the embryos for research
Have the embryos preserved at very low temperatures.
There are very few parents willing to give their embryos to another couple for a variety of emotional reasons. There are very few couples willing to receive them for emotional reasons and because thawed embryos have such a low chance of starting a pregnancy. Preservation can be expensive. So most ask that they be discarded.
There are currently hundreds of thousands of surplus embryos in storage. One source estimated that there were 400,000 stored embryos by mid-2003. 4 However, a minority of pro-lifers and a majority of pro-life organizations object to the use of embryos in research. They feel that a few-days-old embryo is a human person. Extracting its stem cells kills the embryo -- an act that they consider to be murder. Stem cells can now be grown in the laboratory, so (in a pinch) some research can be done using existing stem cells. No further harvesting needs to be made from embryos. However, existing stem cell lines are gradually degrading and will soon be useless for research.
Stem cells can also be extracted from adult tissue, without harm to the subject. Unfortunately, they are difficult to remove and are severely limited in quantity. There has been a consensus among researchers that adult stem cells are limited in usefulness -- that they can be used to produce only a few of the 220 types of cells in the human body. However, some evidence is emerging that indicates that adult cells may be more flexible than has previously been believed.
Government research using embryonic stem cells had been authorized in Britain, but was initially halted in the U.S. by President George W. Bush. He decided on 2001-AUG-9 to allow research to resume in government labs, but restricted researchers to use only 72 existing lines of stem cells. By 2003-MAY, most of these lines had become useless. Only 22 remained in mid-2006, and many of them were of limited usefulness because of DNA damage.
Research continues in U.S. private labs and in both government and private labs in the UK, Japan, France, Australia, and other countries. On 2002-SEP, Governor Davis of California signed bill SB 253 into law. It is the first law in the U.S. that permits stem cell research. Davis simultaneously signed a bill that permanently bans all human cloning in the state for reproduction purposes -- i.e. any effort to create a cloned individual.
Following former president Ronald Reagan's death due to Alzheimer's in 2004-JUN -- a slow, lingering disease that took a decade to kill him -- Nancy Reagan and all of her family, except for Michael Reagan, mounted a campaign to encourage President Bush to relax restrictions on embryo stem cell research. Fifty-eight senators, almost all Democrats, sent a letter to President Bush, urging the same action.
A federal bill passed the House on 2005-MAY-24 to allow government funded research on embryonic stem cells extracted from surplus embryos in fertility clinics. It was later passed by the Senate. President Bush vetoed it on ethical grounds -- his first veto of his presidency.
When someone like Nancy Reagan becomes involved in opposition to President Bush you quickly realize this is not a conservative versus liberal issue. I personally think the President is being irrational in his decision. What is your opinion?
This topic has become a politically and religiously charged subject that often crosses party lines. Here is an overview of the subject:
When someone like Nancy Reagan becomes involved in opposition to President Bush you quickly realize this is not a conservative versus liberal issue. I personally think the President is being irrational in his decision. What is your opinion?
I personally agree with you, very strongly. Anyone who looks at the facts can't deny them...well, they can and do, but it's irrational to me as well.
Keep in mind that the frozen embryo that they use are otherwise destroyed...how is that better then using them to heal people.
I have a friend that I have known since we were 14...she has childhood diabetes and is now 40. She has a pair of gorgeous identical twins that I want her to be there for as long as posible. Stem Cell research could help her.
I am also a diabetic for over 27 years, got it when I was 3. Stem cell research is a serious subject that needs to have CLEAR and defined rules and regulations, but if it could help cure so many people of so many hard diseases I just have to support it. I worked in a Nursing Home and I have watched families suffer from some really really hard situations from a young woman with MS to the Dementia and beyond. I have a 16 month old and I would love to see her generations lives changed by this! I pray serisously for all those who make these decisions and for those who do the research. I know its skating on close to dangerous terrtioty so I support it with caution.
Location: Ohio, but moving to El Paso, TX August/September
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For stem cell research.
If people were really interested in the destruction and not the politics of it, they would be protesting about the destroying of embryos at fertility clinics but because that is politically not feasible, they are inconsistent in what they choose to object to in stem cell research.
Keep in mind that the frozen embryo that they use are otherwise destroyed...how is that better then using them to heal people.
This is exactly what I was thinking as I read that and I was gonna ask it but then read down. If you believe it is killing wouldn't destroying the embryos also be killing?
This is exactly what I was thinking as I read that and I was gonna ask it but then read down. If you believe it is killing wouldn't destroying the embryos also be killing?
Yes, it is. For this reason I have never been in favor of fertilizing more eggs than can realistically be used for fertility treatments. The root of the problem lies there and in this case, I just can't get around the fact that "the end doesn't justify the means" IMO.
Yes, it is. For this reason I have never been in favor of fertilizing and implanting more eggs than can be realistically be used for fertility treatments. The root of the problem lies there and in this case, I just can't get around the fact that "the end doesn't justify the means" IMO.
Ya I see what you are saying and I agree but unfortunately I don't think that problem will ever be solved in our imperfect society. So that leads me to another question.....They're there whether right or wrong; should they be used for good instead of destroyed?
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If you believe it is killing wouldn't destroying the embryos also be killing?
