I guess we can now conclude that the CTV is pro-embryonic stem cell research.
Earlier this month, the CTV received Strike One and Strike Two on their understanding of stem cell research. Today, on Canada AM, they received Strike Three.
What bothers me most about this strike is that it was by their heavy hitter, Dr. Marla Shapiro. She visited a stem cell research clinic at the Ottawa Hospital here in my city and in the piece they showed a photo which they described as “EMBRYONIC stem cells that COULD lead to a cure for Parkinson’s” and then they immediately flip to a woman who has had her life dramatically change for the better due to ADULT stem cell therapy.
As this website has pointed out on several occasions, there has not been a single succesful therapy or cure discovered via EMBRYONIC stem cell research. The successes are all attributed to ADULT or UMBILICAL stem cell research which are two types of research I fully support.
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You’re right. And see these two links:
http://focus.hms.harvard.edu/2005/Mar25_2005/developmental_biology.shtml
http://stemcells.alphamedpress.org/cgi/content/abstract/24/7/1759
If people support embryonic stem cell research even though placenta stem cell research can produce the same results or better then, I mean, fill in the blank.
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I missed this, but knew it would happen, as it always does. Amazing, isn’t it? They’re totally shameless.
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A quick look at non-religious sites shows that the success of adult stem cell therapies comes from techniques like bone marrow transplants where adult stem cells are used in substituting for the same sorts of tissues in the recipient but is also subject to the problem of tissue rejection.
Embryonic stem cell research is just beginning and has the advantage that the cells are capable of a wider range of uses. See the National Institutes of Health web site for example. It looks like Dr Shapiro got it right.
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Surely, you don’t expect the msm to actually research their stories – those days are long gone.
The embryonic stem cell research is conducted on embryos grown in petri dishes as part of IVF. They are usually discarded. They comprise a minute number of cells. Why not use them instead of throwing them away?
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Caveat, I guess it comes down to what is a valid reason for impregnating human eggs in vitro and letting the cells grow and grow and multiply and multiply but never be born.
It comes down to your view on abortion, but beyond that turning the elements of life into an organ farm.
I am not a pro lifer, but even I have some strong reservations about this.
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Actually, Mulder, I agree with you to a certain extent. I see no need for technology geared towards increasing human population, as it is already well past critical mass.
The embryos are bundles of from 8 to 16 cells, ie, a short period of cell division has taken place before further development is halted.
I also agree that strict regulations must be in place, to avoid misuses of the research, such as the patenting of genetic codes, etc.
It is not the scientists who abuse science, and while all scientific advances have the potential for evil application, I don’t think that’s a reason to contain the investigative process.
It’s an interesting question, one of many which seem to surround us these days.