The recent stem cell discovery by Wisconsin and Japanese scientists of techniques that produce virtual embryonic stem cells from skin cells — thereby eliminating the need to harvest and destroy human embryos to achieve any possible cures from embryonic stem cell research — is great news for science, medicine and the cause of life, both for curing those who are ill and saving the unborn.
This is great news for everyone except those who have chosen to use stem cell research as a weapon against anyone pro-life. Already the pro-abortion side, led by the likes of U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), is giving us the, “Yes, but . . . .” routine. One would think that a discovery which eliminates the controversy over embryonic stem cell research and advances medicine is something over which all people can unify.
If motives truly are to find cures, and one side had ethical objections over a certain procedure only to have those objections overcome by a new technique with no deleterious effects, shouldn’t the other side agree to move forward to achieve their stated goal of advancing science? As noted before on this blog, the insincerity of the “safe, legal and rare,” crowd gets exposed when asked what policies they advocate to preserve unborn life. How they don’t consider this new embryonic stem cell replication technique a no-brainer reveals the depths of their dug-in, abortion-at-all-costs nature.
Let’s face it: the stem cell debate isn’t about science, which is clearly on our side, its about money and power and abortion. Not only does the new technique solve ethical problems, as pro-choice Charles Krauthammer, M.D., explains, it is an eminently simpler process, produces a more reliable and versatile cell, and is less expensive to produce than the labyrinth procedure of harvesting embryonic stem cells, all while holding the exact same potential for cures claimed by embryonic stem cell proponents. Furthermore, since these cells would be taken from the patient, there is no chance of rejection once used to repair or replace the cells or tissues causing the ailment in that patient.
Along with adult stem cells, from such sources as cord blood, which has produced 72 advances (compared to zero embryonic stem cell breakthroughs), we now have a full and ethical arsenal of scientific work that should be pursued. Additionally, because the new technique is simpler than the destroy-embryos method, hundreds of labs currently not equipped for embryonic stem cell research because of its complexity, can immediately start work on medical cures and treatments. That’s more research, which means quicker results — another reason Virginia should put its tax dollars toward adult stem cell research and not the now out-of-date research on embryos.
Even the more secular Europeans are excited. Germany announced an immediate doubling of adult stem cell research based on this skin cell discovery, while Dr. Ian Wilmut, the Scottish creator of Dolly the cloned sheep, has pledged to forgo human cloning and said replication of embryonic stem cells from adult skin cells is “the future.”
Another irony? The research that brought about this remarkable breakthrough was paid for by federal tax dollars targeted to find such a discovery included in President Bush’s directive banning federal money toward the development of new embryonic stem cell lines — the same “anti-science” President Bush (as the left derides him) — while Congress rejected funding for this very same program. Who looks like the flat-earther now? So advocates of destroying human embryos are in a quandary: If they embrace this new method of creating embryonic stem cells, they deny their rationale for abortion.
So expect resistance. Except, as noted above, market forces may just settle this argument. Dr. James Thomson, one of the University of Wisconsin project leaders, and also a pioneer in embryo-destroying stem-cell research, told the media, “If human embryonic stem-cell research does not make you at least a little bit uncomfortable you have not thought about it enough.”
Hopefully, liberal, pro-abortion types will think about it and take this one step toward the side of life, and science. If they truly are sincere, then there’s a world of discovery and hope ahead for us all, unified. Otherwise, if they defend what will become an obsolete procedure with an obstinate argument, their true intentions will be exposed.
My Grandson has worked in the the stem cell research department of a major research company for years.
They have had almost NO success in their embryonic stem cell research over the past years. However there have been exceptional advances in adult stem cell research. Since his company is a ‘For Profit’ company, they expend their effort where success is most probable.
It is NOT in embryonic research.
The same old left wing legislators will continue to try and milk the public dry and at the same time cater to their Planned Parenthood supporters.
The group that is “Composing a bill that would require the teaching of Creationism/Intelligent Design as an opposing view to Evolution in Virginia Public Schools,” is suddenly claiming that science is “is clearly on our side”? That truly is ironic.
Science is foundational. This new finding would not have happened without previous research on embryonic stem cells.
And just because one “liberal, pro-abortion type” says “yes, but” doesn’t mean that all liberals share his sentiment. That would be like saying the Family Foundation represents the interests of all Christians, which clearly it does not.
1. Adult stem cell research and virtual stem cells are clearly more economically and scientifically productive methods…
2. David2 – I’m not a Creationist, but I think the left’s love of atheism rather than science or truth is the foundation of the desire for teaching evolution only. As a taxpayer, I would love to see comparative studies of how humans ascribe the beginnings of the universe. Darwin’s theory leaves much to be desired — yet school children will never hear about other perspectives seeing as all the atheists want is evolution.
3. You may not like the Family Foundation, but at least they are not pushing socialism and telling me it’s “Social Justice.”
PS – Check out Ben Stein’s “Expelled” when it comes out. I’m sure for many people it will be enlightening to see how non-Darwinists are persecuted by the “liberal” establishment.