I sent this to the local editor today. Commets about the
Presidents decision were added.

Subject: Stem Cell Debate

I feared the spread of misinformation after you published my
letter to you on July 19. My fears materialized in the
August 2, Letter to the editor titled  A Lot of
Misinformation.  It was abundant.  Let me say there were
points to be acknowledged. They are, first that adult stem
cell research should be pursued. These cells behave so
differently from embryonic stem cells that it would be
morally wrong to abandon that work and, second, cell
rejection remains a concern in both types of research and
must be vigorously pursued.

 However to suggest that adult stem cells are better than
embryonic stem cells is simply untrue. There is no
scientific data to support that as a conclusion. If there
were there would be no need for the debate. In the recent
report issued by the National Institute of Health, the
following excerpts characterize adult stem cells this way.
Full report available at
http://www.nih.gov/news/stemcell/scireport.htm

" There is no evidence that an adult stem cell is
pluripotent ..."    This means it cannot yet be used for any
purpose other than what it already exists to do. This is
particularly true of the very successful but highly
restricted use of bone marrow cells.

" Adult stem cells are rare  … There are insufficient
numbers of adult stem cells … they are difficult to identify
isolate and purify … they do not replicate in culture"

There are no observed  "qualitative differences between stem
cells obtained from umbilical cord blood and those obtained
from bone marrow or peripheral blood. "
 Probably because the cells are the mother's cells and are
therefore actually adult cells.

"Human embryonic stem cells can be generated in abundant
quantities … in their undifferentiated state for many, many
generations."  This is where they have their maximum
potential. "… millions of cells can be generated from one
embryonic stem cell…"  This is not  true of blood and bone
marrow.  They fail to proliferate in the laboratory.
Without a dependable supply of cells the needed research to
determine the cells potential cannot take place.

According to a recent CNN report more than 200,000 births
have taken place by using in vitro fertilization.  This has
given many couples much joy. Depriving them of that right to
life seems morally wrong.  Depriving those who suffer from
disease of a chance to be cured seems equally wrong.

Thursday nights announcement by the President to fund
limited embryonic stem cell research, I believe, is a step
in the right direction. Whether 60 embryonic stem cell lines
is sufficiently diverse will no doubt be debated but it is a
start. I hope it is not the equivalent of tying one arm
behind scientists' backs. The practical aspects of managing
which cells bench scientists can work on and be federally
funded and which they can work on and not be federally
funded will likely create a bureaucratic maze. This will
give the politicians something to haggle over for a while. I
fear that that haggling will delay the real work from
getting done.  That work is finding help for the 100 million
people that suffer from incurable diseases. My wife and many
others are running out of time.

Please call the White House and share your views with the
President. The phone number is 212-456-1414.

Bob Martone
[log in to unmask]
http://www.samlink.com/~bmartone

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