Stem Cells; Adult versus Embryos
Can we, the average American know the truth about the argument behind stem cell research? Yes, we can, but without the twist of the media and the influence of many famous people, from movie stars to political leaders. Can we trust every word from the media? Who is telling the truth and who is spreading lies?
Researching this topic I have come to a point that I do not trust the media’s spin. The truth is that adult stem cells are being used right now on people suffering from over 40 different diseases and have a strong promise for as many as 70 diseases and conditions. (Dr. Dobson) Some of the diseases that are currently being cured by adult stem cells are: Heart Disease, Sickle Cell Anemia, Myeloid Leukemia, Multiple Sclerosis, Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Parkinson’s disease, Stroke, and many more.
ABC News just reported on March 6th that a 16-year-old boy had been shot in the heart with a nail gun. The nail had damaged the muscle of the heart, so he received adult stem cells taken from his own blood to repair the damage done by the nail. In another story out of Chicago, a doctor used adult stem cells to cure a patient, Matt Kruysman, who was suffering from Multiple Sclerosis. Matt is “almost total remission from the disease” (NBC5 Health Watch)
Thursday night on ABC news “Primetime” featured Tessa Wick, a 13-year-old daughter of Hollywood producers Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher. The story was about Tessa’s advocacy for embryonic stem cells because of her diagnosis of juvenile diabetes in 1999. The family was interviewed by family friend Patti Davis, daughter of late President Ronald Reagan. They argued that President Bush’s ban on federal funding for additional embryo harvesting would limit the chances of Tessa’s cure. Yet no one spoke about adult stem cells being used to cure diabetes, the very problem Tessa Wick is suffering from. In fact, “11 out of 15 Type 1 diabetes patients are completely off insulin after receiving adult pancreatic cell transplants”. (Carrie Earll)
Many celebrities have come out against President Bush, speaking before Congress and asking for more federal funding for embryonic stem cells. Calling President Bush’s ban destructive, there is no ban on stem cell research at all, but there is a limit to the embryonic research to the 64 embryos that were currently being used. In the past three years since Bush’s decision, $24 million taxpaying dollars have been used for researching those embryo stem cells. In fact, “Hudson Institute Senior Fellow Michael Fumento said one [embryo cell] would suffice”. This comment is based on the fact that there is a non-embryonic cell that is about 30 to 40 years old and still being used in laboratories today.
One celebrity we all know as Superman, Christopher Reeves has testified before Congress and has founded his own Organization for spinal injured patients. In an article by Karla Dial wrote, “Christopher Reeves will walk again because of adult stem cell research”. What happens to embryo stem cells? They are still not approved for human use because they cause tumors.
As Mary Tyler Moore and Kevin Kline appeared before Congress, they hoped to influence President Bush to reverse his decision to ban federal funding for the destruction of embryos. Mary Tyler Moore, who suffers from juvenile-onset diabetes, said, “Up to 71 percent of the American public would approve federal funding of embryonic research”. Yet more and more people I meet do not support embryonic research, but rather support adult stem cell research when given all the facts. Yet the public is not given the facts by scientists or doctors but by movie stars.
Michael J. Fox is just another famous name to add to the list of celebrities fighting for embryo stem cells. Michael J. Fox (a friend’s favorite actor) suffers from Parkinson’s disease and has been fighting for embryo stem cells for several years now. He argues that embryo stem cells “may be a cure” for Parkinson’s disease in the near future, yet adult stem cells are currently being used for just what embryo stem cells might do in the future. An article “Promise for Tomorrow” reads, “Jefferson researchers have early evidence of bone marrow (adult) stem cells able to become brain cells.” Right now there are people receiving adult stem cells by injection into the brain to regenerate brain tissue with positive results.
As many people witness another famous name, Ron Reagan, son of President Ronald Reagan, gave a speech at the Democratic National Convention on stem cells. He said, “no fetal tissue is involved in this process. No fetuses are created, none destroyed”. This statement is not 100% true; embryo stem cells come from the beginning stages of a fetus which would produce a person if allowed to complete growth. Embryo stem cells cannot be harvested until the fetuses have passed the 7-cell mitosis stage, where the DNA has already been passed and you have 7 sets of 46 chromosomes. If these embryos were placed into a woman’s womb, they could become living people.
Another issue with Ron Reagan and many political leaders using the death of Ronald Reagan as a battle cry for embryo stem cell funding. First, President Reagan was set against abortion for years. Many experts have stated that the destruction of the embryos is the same as an abortion. Second, President Reagan suffered from Alzheimer’s, which attacks several different cells not just one, as Parkinson’s disease. Scientists say that Alzheimer’s may never be treated by stem cells but is “more likely to be treated by drugs or a vaccine”. (Science Cloudy on Reagan’s stem cell stand)
Why are so many people pushing for embryo stem cells instead of adult stem cells? Dr. James Dobson and a few other medical experts have suggested the push is not for cures but for cloning. Why cloning? I have read on various websites that scientists and other members of the medical community expect cloning to be the biggest leap in biotechnology in dollar amounts in the near future. Is it all about the money or for humanity? You decide.