Tom, I have great respect for you. You are an extraordinary person -- you are one of the few people who live by your ideals. But I, personally believe idiology must be separate from science. Of course you are so entitled to your opinion.
I thought Minimedic's link was a good one. The embryos they are talking about are currently been thrown in the GARBAGE. That is a fact (also referenced in the article.) They are currently being DESTROYED. So not doing this research didn't save any embryos.
I want to know that all tools are available to OUR scientists who are excited because current research HAS shown that embryonic stem cells have the capability to change into all different kinds of cells. I'd like to see a top medical research facility dispute this.
I say if anyone does not want to be the recipient of whatever comes out of this research, opt out. I will be first on line.
I don't get the argument that says, because something hasn't been discovered -- it won't be -- especially since science has grown in leaps and bounds in the last 8 years in every area -- while American topinstitutions and scientists have had their hands tied in the area of stem cell research.
To say that there is no evidence (which is untrue in the case of embryonic stem cell research) or that if something hasn't worked until now, that it means it never will is shortsighted. If the early inventors of vaccines thought well, because nobody has done it previously, so it can't be done - we would still have small pox as well as other diseases that we don't see anymore.
I want to know that UCLA, Johns Hopkins, and other top centers can do their job without any ideology standing in the way. And what is so great to me -- it is all now a moot point. Our scientists will be funded by our government and will no longer be limited by our government.
And it is great that they keep discovering new sources of stem cells, but even after the discovery of another source of stem cells (skin) that was recently discovered at UCLA -- the leading author said that this does not replace embryonic stem cell research. It would be nice to please everyone, and someday that indeed might be a possibility.
I have no interest in politics. But I do have a vested interested in seeing to research not being limited. There was another thread recently on this topic and I did post my references.
I loved Obama's explanation for the change in policy -- I can't improve on it. But my best source is Christopher Reeve's own research: passionate, yet sensitive to other's concerns, knowledgeable -- who's life was devoted to the science of stem cell research and in that previous thread I did post his speech to Congess.
We are way beyond "glimmers." These are not pie in the sky hypotheses. It may take decades -- I want them working on it now. Today. We in the CF community do not have one minute to waste. I want to see my fellow adult CFer's thrive and the CF kids grow into healthy adulthood. That's it.
Addendum: I wanted to check exactly what the latest research is this country-- even though so much had been stopped/hindered. Who knows where we would be at this point? I saw some interesting research in some other countries too -- but my time is limited.
Animal research is important. Because all research begins with animals(and sometimes ends there) but nothing starts without it. California approved its 3 Billion dollar stem cell research bill pretty much after an interesting research project showed paralyzed rats' spinal cords being injected with a form of embryonic stem cells. The cells restored some nerves allowing the rats to walk again.
Presently the biotech company Geron (a leader in embryonic stem cell research) is conducting the first human trial of it's kind -- where 8 to 10 adults with severe spinal cord injuries will be given similar injections. It will be interesting to see what the results are -- because if it's negative, that could also lead to a backlash. I'm hoping for something positive.
