Notice Parkinson's on the "List".  Anybody out there getting ASCs, speak
up., Ray

# 188 Tuesday, July 11, 2006 - ADULT VERSUS EMBRYONIC: THE STEM CELL
RESEARCH "CONTROVERSY"

Does smoking increase your chances of cancer?  To me, the answer is an
obvious yes: like someone asking: does chopping off fingers affect typing
skills?
But there will always be a scientist or two (sometimes on the tobacco
industry payroll) who will say:
"A link between cigarette smoke and cancer? Highly controversial!"
The press, to make sure both sides are heard, will dutifully report the
tobacco scientist's comments. So there might be 99 scientists on one side,
and one on the other, but the article will seem an unresolved disagreement,
nothing proven either way.

Calling science "controversial" is a very good tactic for those who oppose
it.
A similar artificial controversy is spread by enemies of embryonic stem cell
research.
Listen to the upcoming debate on House Resolution 810/Senate Bill 471, the
Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act. In an attempt to discredit embryonic
stem cell research, every opponent will say something like:
"We don't need the controversial science, because adult stem cell research
is much better anyway."
 In the scientific, medical, and patient rights community, there is no
controversy.
We do not want to exclude either approach: we want what works.
Where adult stem cell therapies are effective, (bone marrow transplants, for
example)  they should be continued until something better arrives-and the
same for embryonics.
But when opponents of research make fallacious claims of superiority for
adult stem cell research-and use those claims as a basis to criminalize
embryonic stem cell research, or to deny funding for it-those arguments must
be answered.
Here, therefore, are some myths and realities concerning adult stem cell
research. (For the myth/reality framing concept, I am indebted to friends
David Bluestone and Dan Bedford of Americans for Stem Cell Therapies and
Cures. All opinions, however, are my own.)
Myth: adult stem cell research has brought treatments and cures for more
than 58 diseases and conditions, including paralysis and cancer.
Reality: This famous list of 58 treatments and cures (numbers vary) is
widely cited by enemies of embryonic stem cell research. Look at the
transcript of the House of Representatives debate on the Stem Cell Research
Enhancement Act; almost every anti-research speaker refers to it.
This list of alleged treatments and cures is the invention of one man, David
Prentice, who works for the Family Research Council, one of the most
powerful conservative religious lobbying groups. He bills himself as an
"internationally respected stem cell researcher" but I am not aware of any
actual stem cell research he has done.
What Prentice did do was make a computer search for all the experiments that
had been tried on anything remotely connected to adult stem cell research,
after which he counted the diseases which were the subjects of
investigation-and the list was born.
Do these experiments add up to a reason to block research? Recommending
aspirin for cancer could be considered a treatment. But should we call
aspirin a cure for cancer, and block other avenues of research?
 Long ago, a scientist (Galen) recommended rubbing pigeon dung on the backs
of spinal cord injured gladiators, to heal their paralysis. It didn't work,
but it was a treatment.
Similarly, an "adult stem cell" operation can be done for paralyzed
patients. Reaching up through the nose, a scalpel scrapes off brain tissue
(Olfactory Epithelial Glia) which is then spread like jelly on the injured
spine. I have talked to two patients who had the operation. Both are still
paralyzed. If the operation was worth anything, I would get it for my son.
But it seems useless to me.
Paralysis, however, is on "the list" as having been treated or cured.
Interestingly, the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research
investigated the diseases on the list: of the 58 diseases, 56 were
represented by major groups which supported embryonic stem cell research*.
The other two (highlighted) did not seem to have any groups representing
them. (the CAMR list follows.)
The bottom line is this: an estimated one hundred million Americans suffer
from chronic diseases and disabilities; to even imply that conditions like
cancer and paralysis are being "cured" by adult stem cell treatments is
cruel, and false.
Myth: Emphasis on embryonic stem cell research gives it an unfair advantage
in funding.
Reality: adult stem cell research has received many times more federal
dollars than embryonic research. In 2004, adult stem cell research was given
$191 million by the federal government, while embryonic stem cell research
received only $25 million.
Myth: the superiority of adult stem cell research is widely acknowledged by
scientists.
Reality: every major scientific, medical, or educational organization in
America (that has taken a position on the issue) supports embryonic stem
cell research. (visit www.camradvocacy.org for a list of nearly 100 medical,
scientific, educational and patients groups in support, like the Association
of American Universities,  the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund, and the
American Medical Association.)
Myth: the people of America oppose embryonic stem cell research.
Reality: numerous national polls show more than 2-1 support: approximately
72% of all Americans are in favor of the emerging science.
Myth: experiments by Dr. Katherine Verfaille prove that adult stem cells are
pluripotent: meaning they can become any cell in the body, thereby removing
any need for embryonic stem cell research.
Reality: Numerous labs have attempted to replicate (repeat and verify) Dr.
Verfaille's work. To the best of my knowledge, none has been successful. A
respected scientist,
Dr. Verfaille herself has stated, "Embryonic stem cells are still the gold
standard." She has since returned to her native Belgium, where she will be
studying both embryonic and adult stem cells.
So, what is the big adult versus embryonic stem cell research controversy?
Here is the man who first isolated embryonic stem cells.
"The debate regarding whether adult stem cells or embryonic stem cells are
"better" is a creation of politics and the press, not of the scientific
community. I know of no credible stem cell scientist (who) does not believe
that both should be studied; human medicine will suffer if either is
excluded."(emphasis added) -Dr. James Thomson, cited in USA Today, April 21,
2004.
LETTER FROM A CAMR SOURCE ON "THE LIST"
"Below is the complete list of the diseases cited as being "treated" by
adult stem cells. if all 58 listed diseases had successful treatments, they
would be eradicated.  Yet each of the 58 diseases listed continues to cause
pain and suffering to millions of Americans.
Of the 58 diseases listed. (56) are represented by organizations that
support EMBRYONIC stem cell research. (For disease numbers 49 and 50,
Corneal Degeneration and Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis, no advocacy
group was found.) Each of these organizations is either a CAMR member or
signed the letter to the President seeking an expansion of the federal
policy.
Brain Cancer - American Cancer Society plus numerous other cancer
organizations.
Retinoblastoma - American Cancer Society, plus numerous other cancer
organizations.
Ovarian Cancer - American Cancer Society, plus numerous other cancer
organizations.
Merkel Cell Cancer - American Cancer Society, plus numerous other cancer
organizations.
Testicular Cancer - American Cancer Society, plus numerous other cancer
organizations.
Lymphoma - American Cancer Society, plus numerous other cancer
organizations.
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia - American Cancer Society, plus numerous other
cancer organizations.
Acute Myelogenous Leukemia - American Cancer Society, plus numerous other
cancer organizations.
Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia - American Cancer Society, plus numerous other
cancer organizations.
Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia - American Cancer Society, plus numerous
other cancer organizations.
Angioimmunoblastic Lymphadenopathy with Dysproteinemia - American Academy of
Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology
Multiple Myeloma - International Myeloma Foundation
Myelodysplasia - American Cancer Society, plus numerous other cancer
organizations.
Breast Cancer - American Cancer Society, plus numerous other cancer
organizations.
Neuroblastoma - American Cancer Society, plus numerous other cancer
organizations.
Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma - American Cancer Society, plus numerous other cancer
organizations.
Hodgkin's Lymphoma - American Cancer Society, plus numerous other cancer
organizations.
Renal Cell Carcinoma - American Cancer Society, plus numerous other cancer
organizations.
Various Solid Tumors - American Cancer Society, plus numerous other cancer
organizations.
Soft Tissue Sarcoma - Sarcoma Society of American and cancer organizations
Scleromyxedema - American Cancer Society, plus numerous other cancer
organizations.
Multiple Sclerosis - National Multiple Sclerosis Society
Crohn's Disease - American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association
Rheumatoid Arthritis - Arthritis Foundation
Juvenile Arthritis - Arthritis Foundation
Systemic Lupus - Lupus Foundation of America
Polychondritis - American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association
Systemic Vasculitis - American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association
Sjogren's Syndrome - American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association
Behcet's Disease - American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association
Myasthenia Gravis - American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association
Red Cell Aplasia - American Society of Hematology
Autoimmune Cytopenia - Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and American Cancer
Society.
X-Linked Lymphoproliferative Syndrome
X-Linked Hyperimmunoglobuline-M Syndrome - American Cancer Society, plus
numerous other cancer organizations.
Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Syndrome-X1
Sickle Cell Anemia - American Society of Hematology
Sideroblastic Anemia - American Society of Hematology
Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia - American Cancer Society, plus numerous
other cancer organizations.
Aplastic Anemia - American Society of Hematology
Amegakaryocytic Thrombocytopenia - American Cancer Society, plus numerous
other cancer organizations.
Chronic Epstein-Barr Infection - American Autoimmune Related Diseases
Association
Fanconi's Anemia - American Society of Hematology
Diamond Blackfan Anemia - American Society of Hematology
Thalassemia Major - American Society of Hematology
Stroke - Society for Neuroscience
Osteogenesis Imperfecta - American Society for Bone and Mineral Research
Sandhoff Disease - Genetic Alliance, MPS Society, and National Tay Sachs and
Allied Diseases Assoc.
Corneal Degeneration
Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis
Primary Amyloidosis - American Society for Bone and Mineral Research
Limb Gangrene - American Society for Bone and Mineral Research and American
Diabetes Assoc.
Surface Wound Healing - American Medical Association
Heart Damage - American Medical Association
Parkinson's Disease - Parkinson's Action Network and other Parkinson's
organizations
Spinal Cord Injury - Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation
Scleroderma - American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association
Hurler's Syndrome - NPS Society and Children's Neurological Solutions
Foundation

By Don Reed       www.stemcellbattles.com

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