Embryonic Stem Cell Therapy; Panacea or False Promise?

While remaining sensitive to the ethical concerns raised by the destruction of day old human embryos, scientists have long viewed embryonic stem cell research as perhaps the best hope for finding cures for debilitating diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. But the inconvenient fact that human beings had to be conceived in order to furnish these stem cells was no deterrent to high profile likely beneficiaries and their families and advocacy groups.

When Christopher Reeve was paralized in a fall from a horse, he and his family became very vocal. Michael J Fox who became afflicted with Parkinson's Disease at a very young age was extremely critical of the Bush administration over this issue. Much of the subsequent Bush derangement existing in this country was fueled by Hollywood celebrities resentment of George Bush's stance on embryonic stem cell research.

Nancy Reagan was sure her husband's Alzheimer's Disease could be cured if only the bully George Bush did not stand in the way. The agony of these sufferers is easily understood. They felt Bush and Bush alone was denying the panacea of a host of diseases. Their attitude now seems quite unjustified in the face of the barriers that exist and may never be breached.

Boy gets tumor from embryonic stem-cell injection

Charlie Butts and Marty Cooper - OneNewsNow - 2/27/2009 7:00:00 AM

Israel reports negative results from experimental use of fetal stem cells.

According to The Associated Press, an Israeli family hoped to save their son from a lethal brain disease and received injections of embryonic stem cells. The injections caused tumors to grow in his brain and spinal cord.

The Public Library of Science notes this is the first documented case of a human getting a brain tumor after embryonic stem-cell therapy, even though the tumor is slow-growing and benign. A team of scientists at Tel Aviv University tested the tumor tissue and confirmed it was the embryonic cells.

Dr. David Stevens of the Christian Medical & Dental Association notes that other people are traveling to other countries for treatments using embryonic or fetal stem cells and ending up with worsened conditions.

"They definitely are experiments, and these are desperate people being preyed upon by people trying to sell miracle cures," he explains. "Unfortunately that same approach is being used to sell this whole line of embryonic stem-cell research to the American people, promising miracle cures if we'll just fund this type of research."

http://www.onenewsnow.com/Culture/Default.aspx?id=428368

© Janet Crain

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