| Embryonic stem cells have been making | | | | In a press release from the Advanced Cell |
| headlines recently. But among the talk, there | | | | Technology Company Ronald Green, Ph.D., |
| is rarely a pause to explain what embryonic | | | | Director of Dartmouth College's Ethics |
| stem cells are, what makes them unique, and | | | | Institute and Chairman of ACT's Ethics |
| why they stir up so much debate. | | | | Advisory Board is quoted as saying, "One of |
| | | | the major ethical objections of those who |
| Stem cells, unlike other cells, can renew | | | | oppose the generation of human embryonic |
| themselves for long periods of time though | | | | stems cells is that all techniques, until |
| cell division, and under certain laboratory | | | | now, have resulted in the destruction of the |
| conditions, they can be stimulated into | | | | embryo," and that "This technique overcomes |
| becoming cells with special functions, like | | | | this hurdle and has the potential to play a |
| insulin producing cells normally found in the | | | | critical role in the advancement of |
| pancreas. One of the major hopes is that | | | | regenerative medicine. It also appears to be |
| researching stem cells is they could | | | | a way out of the current political impasse in |
| potentially offer a renewable source of a | | | | this country and elsewhere." The current US |
| transplantable tissues, and have a | | | | policy does not allow use of embryos |
| significant impact on the treatment of | | | | harvested made past August of 2001. On June |
| Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, diabetes, spinal | | | | 20, 2007, the president vetoed a bill that |
| cord injures, and other diseases. Recent | | | | would allow embryos from past that date to be |
| research at Johns Hopkins University shows | | | | used, and encouraged alternative means of |
| however that spinal cord injuries, for | | | | producing stem cells. |
| example, can heal through normal patterns of | | | | |
| activity without the need for stem cells. | | | | The president's veto drew strong response |
| | | | from several sources, including the American |
| There are both embryonic stem cells, which | | | | Fertility Association, who pointed to a study |
| are derived from embryos that have been | | | | published the same day which showed that, in |
| fertilized in-vitro and have been donated for | | | | a survey of 1,000 couples who had stored |
| research, and adult stem cells. The major | | | | embryos 60 % said they would donate embryos |
| difference between embryonic and adult stem | | | | for stem cell research. This study was done |
| cells is that embryonic stem cells have the | | | | by researchers at Duke University Medical |
| ability to become many different cells in the | | | | Center and John Hopkins University, and |
| body. | | | | published in the online version of Science |
| | | | Express. The executive director of the |
| While stem cell research offers many | | | | American Fertility Foundation claimed that, |
| possibilities in the treatment of disease, it | | | | "The study confirms what the AFA has said |
| remains controversial because, among other | | | | repeatedly: Federal policy does not reflect |
| concerns, in order to create embryonic stem | | | | the preferences of the majority of our |
| cells, the embryo must be destroyed in order | | | | members." |
| to create embryonic stem cells. At least, | | | | |
| that used to be the case. On June 19th, | | | | Embryonic stem cell research will continue to |
| researchers at the Advanced Cell Technology | | | | be a subject of strong debate. In the |
| Company announced that they had found a way | | | | meantime, it remains to be seen whether hopes |
| to create embryonic stem cells without having | | | | for stem cell research become a reality or |
| to destroy the embryo. This process is an | | | | whether it simply represents another means |
| adaptation of a common genetic test used in | | | | for funneling funds to the biotech industry |
| fertility clinics, known as pre-implantation | | | | which remains long on promises and short on |
| genetic diagnosis. | | | | results, particularly as we heard towards the |
| | | | next presidential elections. |