this article explains how IVF is done and why it is not an abortion issue

Ray


Stem-cell research: Pro-life and pro-cure

HOPE
Joseph Ferretti and Stephen Prescott: HB 1326 prohibits hope.

By JOSEPH FERRETTI AND STEPHEN PRESCOTT
Published: 5/2/2009  2:21 AM
Last Modified: 5/2/2009  3:36 AM

Recently Gov. Brad Henry vetoed a bill that would have criminalized human 
embryonic stem-cell research, and the Oklahoma Senate sustained that veto. 
On behalf of patients suffering from debilitating medical conditions, we 
applaud this action.

Because this is the first year of a two-year legislative session, the vote 
to override can be called up at any time before the end of next year's 
session in May 2010. To ensure this does not happen, we must continue to let 
our legislators know that misguided efforts to short-circuit promising 
research avenues cannot prevail.

Proponents of House Bill 1326 have tried to make this a debate about 
abortion, but it is not. Oklahoma law already prohibits the use of any 
tissue obtained from abortions for research. We support this.

But HB 1326 does something else entirely: It makes human embryonic stem-cell 
research a crime. This is what we oppose.

But how can we support stem-cell research and advocate banning research on 
tissue from abortion? Because embryonic stem cells aren't obtained by 
abortion. They are created by in vitro fertilization. These cells have never 
been implanted in a woman's womb. If they were not used for research, they 
would be discarded as medical waste.

To perform in vitro fertilization, doctors obtain eggs from the ovary of a 
woman and mix them in a laboratory with a man's sperm. This process uses 
multiple eggs, and if successful, the sperm will fertilize many eggs.

Doctors then place some of these fertilized eggs (now called blastocysts) in 
the woman's uterus (womb) in hopes that they will implant, develop into 
human fetus and result in the birth of a healthy baby. The blastocysts 
cannot develop into a baby without being implanted in a womb.

The remaining eggs that aren't implanted are frozen and kept in a freezer as 
a backup in case the pregnancy isn't successful. But if it is successful, 
then at some point the couple that owns the frozen blastocysts has to decide 
what to do with them: They can be kept frozen indefinitely, discarded or 
donated for research.

It's estimated that in the U.S. there are almost one-half million 
blastocysts in freezers, many of which will be discarded.

HB 1326 allows the frozen blastocysts to be discarded as medical waste but 
makes it a crime to try to cure diseases with them.

Some have claimed that embryonic stem cells have not proven successful as 
treatments. This is an incomplete and incorrect perspective.

Pre-clinical studies have shown that these cells hold promise for treating 
diabetes, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, arthritis and many other 
diseases. Earlier this year, the Food and Drug Administration approved a 
clinical trial to test human embryonic stem cells to treat patients with 
paralysis resulting from spinal cord injury.

That trial will soon begin, and victims of spinal cord injury will receive 
this experimental therapy. But HB 1326 prohibits such a trial from being 
conducted in this state. Indeed, any Oklahoma physician who treated an 
Oklahoman with an experimental stem-cell therapy would be guilty of a crime.

Let us be clear: Neither the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center 
nor the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation conducts any research on human 
embryonic stem cells. We oppose this bill because we believe it is wrong 
that cells that would otherwise be discarded cannot be used to help 
Oklahomans suffering from disease.

Legislation like this steals hope from those who need it most. If we are to 
continue to fight human disease on every possible front, bills such as HB 
1326 must not become the law of our state.

Joseph Ferretti is senior vice president and provost of the University of 
Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Stephen Prescott is president of the 
Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation.
By JOSEPH FERRETTI AND STEPHEN PRESCOTT

Rayilyn Brown
Director AZNPF
Arizona Chapter National Parkinson Foundation
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