By: Jadi Morrow
My daughter participated in a walk to raise money for Juvenile Diabetes today. At the little rally before the walk, I was surprised to find out that Type 1 Diabetes (the kind you are born with, and no lifestyle changes can help solve) is yet another thing for which stem cell research may hold the key.
The two young fifth graders at my daughter’s school who have juvenile diabetes were present and held a sign in front of the rest of the walkers as we walked the mile and a half. They kept going, holding the sign as long as there were other students who wanted to walk. As we left, they had walked about 3 and a half miles. They were very happy to walk with their friends who wanted to support them.
Scientists are sure that stem cells are found in human embryos. At this stage, the cells are able to reproduce themselves and repair damaged cells and tissue. This could have significant uses in modern medicine. Scientists are still unsure if adults have any of these cells left by adulthood. The research that has been done is performed on cells 4-5 days after the joining of sperm and egg or by cloning existing cells.
The controversy is that the embryo is in the earliest stage of pregnancy and stem cell research has been likened to an abortion. However, the embryo doesn’t attach to the mother’s uterine walls until 5-7 days after fertilization (after the time in which the research would be done on the cells).
I think this controversy is ridiculous on many levels. First, the argument that this is an actualized pregnancy is negated by nature all the time. Many embryos that have been created never attach to the mother and are flushed out during menstruation. Secondly, these are cells not fetuses with arms and legs. I have yet to see blood and think “wow! that is potential life.” In fact, those cells could not exist for long if they were not attached to the uterus. Third, this is not a slippery slope to cloning humans. Most Americans believe that stem cell research should be done, even though they disagree with cloning. If this difference exists in the minds of many of us, why can’t Bush get it?
I will save you my rambling about how the president should represent the interests of most of his constituents (on this issue he most definitely does not). I am, however, very angry that this research is being restricted when it could be very helpful in the research, treatment, and potential cure of: cancer, leukemia, Parkinson’s disease, etc . . .
It will always be worth it to consider new possibilities for research when I think of the children who kept walking far beyond their requirements to show support for their fellow students who are living with a disease that rules their lives. We should listen to our children.
My daughter participated in a walk to raise money for Juvenile Diabetes today. At the little rally before the walk, I was surprised to find out that Type 1 Diabetes (the kind you are born with, and no lifestyle changes can help solve) is yet another thing for which stem cell research may hold the key.
The two young fifth graders at my daughter’s school who have juvenile diabetes were present and held a sign in front of the rest of the walkers as we walked the mile and a half. They kept going, holding the sign as long as there were other students who wanted to walk. As we left, they had walked about 3 and a half miles. They were very happy to walk with their friends who wanted to support them.
Scientists are sure that stem cells are found in human embryos. At this stage, the cells are able to reproduce themselves and repair damaged cells and tissue. This could have significant uses in modern medicine. Scientists are still unsure if adults have any of these cells left by adulthood. The research that has been done is performed on cells 4-5 days after the joining of sperm and egg or by cloning existing cells.
The controversy is that the embryo is in the earliest stage of pregnancy and stem cell research has been likened to an abortion. However, the embryo doesn’t attach to the mother’s uterine walls until 5-7 days after fertilization (after the time in which the research would be done on the cells).
I think this controversy is ridiculous on many levels. First, the argument that this is an actualized pregnancy is negated by nature all the time. Many embryos that have been created never attach to the mother and are flushed out during menstruation. Secondly, these are cells not fetuses with arms and legs. I have yet to see blood and think “wow! that is potential life.” In fact, those cells could not exist for long if they were not attached to the uterus. Third, this is not a slippery slope to cloning humans. Most Americans believe that stem cell research should be done, even though they disagree with cloning. If this difference exists in the minds of many of us, why can’t Bush get it?
I will save you my rambling about how the president should represent the interests of most of his constituents (on this issue he most definitely does not). I am, however, very angry that this research is being restricted when it could be very helpful in the research, treatment, and potential cure of: cancer, leukemia, Parkinson’s disease, etc . . .
It will always be worth it to consider new possibilities for research when I think of the children who kept walking far beyond their requirements to show support for their fellow students who are living with a disease that rules their lives. We should listen to our children.
1 comments:
I encourage you to look into this debate further, as there is much more to this story. NO ONE is against stem cell research. The question is what is the source of stem cells. Adult stem cells (e.g., taken from cord blood)are already in use and have cured young and old patients with leukemia. There are pilot programs where they have been successful in regenerating myocardial tissue after heart attack and restoring some movement after spinal cord injury. None of these involved the destruction of any embryos.
Meanwhile, the only clinical use of embryonic stem cells resulted in a worse neurological disease in patients with Parkinsons Disease. It may be true that embryonic stem cells are more plastic than adult stem cells, but that plasticity is associated with increased tendency to form teratomas (tumors). Moreover, the recent discovery that adult stem cells can be manipulated to de-differentiate into an embryonic like state makes obsolete the argument that one has to destroy an embryo to do legitimate research. There are broader implications to this type of research beyond life vs. death. Women are the source of the eggs that will be used to generate embryos. Most of the animal studies report needing to create 150-200 embryos to make a suitable line of stem cells. Thats a lot of eggs! Gathered how? By hyperstimulating the ovaries of women with potent hormones. Feminism may have taught us that women are more than baby-making factories, but is it now say we are only egg-making factories. So please, rather than a wholesale attack on those who are against embryonic stem cell research, find out the real reasons why.
Post a Comment