I want to add that the AFSC research was paid for by the NIH which we have
learned is stocked with Bush clones and has apparently taken 7 years
although it was thought a decade ago that amniotic fluid might be a source
of stem cells.  The research consists of fixing herniated tracheas and heart
valves of sheep.
Ray


COINCIDENCE OR CON-JOB? Either Way, Adult Stem Cell Research Not Enough


With huge fanfare, a "breakthrough" in adult stem cell research has been
announced.

You've seen the headlines: "Stem Cells Extracted from Amniotic Fluid".
"nearly as powerful as embryonic".. "easily available". "uncontroversial"..

Supposedly, amniotic fluid (liquid surrounding an unborn baby) contains stem
cells of an almost miraculous nature.

"I feel these cells are pluripotent like human embryonic stem cells," said
Dr. (Anthony) Atala.-Reuters,  January 7, 2006.)

Now maybe I am completely wrong in what I am about to say. Maybe Dr. Atala
will turn out to be the scientific hero of the ages, who in one bound has
leaped past all the hard work of everybody else. Maybe what he is saying is
the answer to my son's paralysis.

 If so, I will be genuinely glad, and will praise the man to the skies.

But what I feel in my gut is:

Weapon of mass deception.

Just as non-existent weapons of mass destruction were used to sell America
on the idea of invading Iraq, I think this sudden (and hugely publicized)
"breakthrough" will turn out to be less than it appears-and it will be used
to try and block embryonic stem cell research.

Consider:

Day after tomorrow, the House of Representatives will debate President Bush's
restrictions on federal funding of embryonic stem cell research.

America is united on the need to advance embryonic stem cell research. How
many polls does it take to make our nation's opinion clear? We want it,
period.  The vast majority of our leaders support the research. The
Republican-controlled Senate and House of Representatives has already voted
to reverse the Bush restrictions on stem cell research funding.
Unfortunately, the President vetoed it, which is why we are trying again. We
will never give up. Our loved ones are suffering.

The experts are also in agreement: to the best of my knowledge, not one
major scientific, medical, or educational organization supports the
President's policy on limiting funding for stem cell research.

And now, just before the debate to loosen those restrictions, suddenly a
miraculous discovery makes it seem we don't need embryonic stem cell
research?

I don't buy it.

It may be strictly a coincidence that the allegedly miraculous breakthrough
is announced just hours before the vote: providing cover for legislators
looking desperately for some excuse to avoid supporting research that may
cost them votes from the Religious Right.

It may also be a coincidence that "the technology described in the study is
owned by Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center."(emphasis added)--
a religion officially opposed to embryonic stem cell research. -quoted
material from Los Angeles Times, "Stem Cells in Amniotic Fluid." by Karen
Kaplan, January 8, 2007.

Dr. Atala, it should also be noted, sits on the board of Plureon
Corporation, a biotech startup company connected to the experiment. I do not
know the nature of their relationship, and there would be nothing wrong with
a scientist profiting from his invention; still the money trail is part of
the equation.

But the biggest question is simple: is the experiment important?

If an adult stem cell "breakthrough" turns out to be real-that would be not
only good, but expected.

Adult stem cell research has been studied for fifty years. One would hope we
got something out of it, beside the endlessly-cited bone marrow transplants,
which were discovered before anyone even thought about adult stem cells.

Human embryonic stem cells, on the other hand, were not even isolated until
1998.

In addition to the head start, adult stem cell research has also been funded
far more heavily than embryonic, (in 2004, embryonic research got $24
million, while adult stem cells got $191 million) plus embryonic stem cell
research has been under religious and political attack from the beginning;
President Bush's policy limits federal funding to lines already in existence
on or before August 9, 2001: not unlike limiting airplane design to those
planes existing on or before the date the Wright brothers flew.

If amniotic fluid does turn out to be a useful tool, it will be one of many
weapons in the fight against chronic disease and disability. That would be
great; we need all the help we can get, with one hundred million Americans
suffering from incurable disease and disability.

But if the experiment's results are for real, why the timing? It reportedly
took seven years to complete the experiment-why would a scientist,
supposedly interested in the advancement of science, make his announcement
right before the debate on embryonic funding?

The unverified study will be used as ammunition for those who want to stop
the research. I am sure they are practically jumping up and down, clapping
their hands with glee.

"This is wonderful news," said Richard Doerflinger, deputy director of
pro-life activities at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which
opposes (the research).'It doesn't require harming anyone..."-Washington
Post, Rick Weiss, January 8th, 2007.

Prediction: in Thursday's debate, every opponent of the research will cite
the amniotic fluid study.

As Sean Tipton, president of the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical
Research, (CAMR) points out:

"Embryonic stem cell research opponents selectively and irresponsibly tout
individual studies when it's politically convenient.

"The nationally recognized and prestigious universities, scientists, medical
schools, research organizations and foundations that CAMR represents want
all sides of the story to be told...

"We need a federal policy change on embryonic stem cell research, and we
look forward to the House and Senate passing the Stem Cell Research
Enhancement Act early in this 110th Congress."

We must not allow ourselves to be distracted. Embryonic stem cell research
must go forward.

Listen to the scientists who are not connected with the experiment:

".they (amniotic cells) are not a substitute for human embryonic stem
 cells." Dr. George Daley, a Harvard University stem cell researcher-Paul
Elias, Associated Press.

"Many laboratories have claimed (emphasis added) to have found cells outside
the embryo that (could) become a wide variety of tissues," said Jeanne
Loring, a researcher at the Burnham Institute in La Jolla, California, who
has been working with stem cells for 20 years. 'Other laboratories will have
to replicate the work with the amniotic cells before it's accepted. people
have been wrong so many times."-John Lauerman, Bloomberg News, 1/8/07.

Nor should we forget how other adult stem cell researchers' work has been
paraded before the public eye-Dr. Catherine Verfaille's for instance. Her
work was hailed as a reason for blocking embryonic stem cell research. Her
adult stem cells were supposed to be able to duplicate many different kinds
of cells, similar to the claims made for Dr. Atala today. Dr. Verfaille was
(and is) a sincere, patient, and hard-working researcher. Unfortunately,
nobody I know of was able to duplicate her results. She finally left America
and went back to her native Belgium-- where she is now studying both
embryonic and adult stem cells.

Replication is vital. Dr. Atala's tests will have to be duplicated by other
scientists, before they can be taken seriously.

Before an idea is accepted as real, it must be tried and verified by other
scientists, especially by those who do not have a financial connection to
the outcome.  American science is based on the freedom of inquiry, to
determine by test and replication which avenue is most useful.  Even a
genuine "breakthrough" is never considered the end of discussion. It is at
best the opening of a door. New investigations must follow, to find out if
the experiment is accurate or not, and if it is useful or just interesting.

Both adult and embryonic stem cells deserve study. I would never dream of
telling Dr. Atala, his research should be denied funding. If he is right,
wonderful.

But no single study-especially one that has not even been verified-should be
used to prevent funding for other research.

 Even if amniotic fluid cells turns out to be truly helpful, that does not
mean we pack up our test tubes and go home.

Because my son is still paralyzed, and my sister is still threatened by
cancer.

Member of families are having limbs amputated, or going blind from diabetes;
children are dying at age two and three from Spinal Muscle Atrophy; adults
are losing their memories from Alzheimer's, or control of their limbs from
Parkinsons, and on, and on, and on.

The amniotic fluid experiment is at best a hopeful possibility.

To use it as an excuse to deny funding to embryonic stem cell research would
be a cruel blow:  devastating to the hopes of suffering people and their
families across America and the world.

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