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> Subject: Stem Cell Furor Heats Up > From: Murray Charters <[log in to unmask]> > Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2001 05:54:05 -0700 WIRED.com Stem Cell Furor Heats Up By Kristen Philipkoski 2:00 a.m. July 12, 2001 PDT Researchers in the field weren't surprised at the news that reproduction scientists created hundreds of embryos solely to derive stem cells. Many assumed it was done fairly often, even though -- researchers have long maintained -- plenty of embryos are left over and frozen every day as a result of in vitro fertilization. But no one had solid proof that embryos were created for utilitarian purposes until researchers at the Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine published a paper Wednesday stating they had done just that. "I think the fact of the matter is that since the advent of in vitro fertilization 20 or 30 years ago, scientists have been trying to come up with a way to create human embryos for no purpose other than research and experimentation," said Judy Brown, the director of the American Life League, a group opposed to embryonic stem cell research. "The Jones Research Institute has been hard at this work for years." The timing couldn’t be worse for those who hoped President Bush would soon approve the use of federal funds for embryonic stem cell research. In fact, the argument that advocates of embryonic stem cell research used to persuade those with moral concerns over the use of embryos went something like this: Embryos would be thrown away anyway at IVF clinics, so why not use the cells to find ways to treat diseases such as diabetes, spinal cord injury and Alzheimer's? This month, Bush is scheduled to announce a decision on whether the guidelines proposed by former President Clinton will hold, although he has not yet given a date. "I'm sure (Bush will) have to factor it in because some of the nightmare scenarios people have suggested that could result from this research are actually happening now," said Stuart Newman, a member of the Council for Responsible Genetics, a group opposed to embryonic stem cell research. The president has sent cryptic messages regarding what his upcoming decision could be. On Wednesday, White House press secretary Ari Fleischer said that the president, a Methodist opposed to abortion, believes in "a separation between matters of religion and government decisions." But he added, "You cannot separate a man's background from his approach." The use of federal funds for stem cell research was banned in the United States for four years until early last year when the Clinton administration drafted new guidelines. But Bush has expressed reservations regarding the guidelines, which state that research on embryonic stem cells obtained from private research firms can be funded federally, so long as no embryos are destroyed with the use of government money. Stem cells are the basis for every type of cell in the body, and many scientists say their powers of renewal are the only hope for people with certain debilitating diseases and injuries, such as diabetes, Lou Gehrig's disease, Alzheimer's and spinal cord injury. Stem cells are taken from embryos, which are destroyed in the process. Those who believe an embryo is a human being believe stem cell research is unethical and immoral. Plus, they cite advances in stem cell research using cells derived from mature cells -- taken from bone marrow, placentas or the brains of cadavers -- as better alternatives. Several Republican senators, including Trent Lott (R-Mississippi) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), have recently spoken out in support of embryonic stem cell research, surprising and confusing anti-stem cell groups that had hoped the Republican administration would support them. Those who want federal funding for embryonic stem cell research hope that Bush would reach some sort of compromise to allow funding in some cases. But they fear this development will undermine that possibility. "It's a big setback for reaching a middle of the road compromise," said Art Caplan, director of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania, who approves of embryonic stem cell research when done using leftover IVF cells. "The timing is poor." But Brown, who has previously expressed a lack of faith in the president to uphold the ALL's belief that embryos are human lives, said she now has no more faith. "Science has run amok and the Bush administration has not done its homework," Brown said, criticizing the administration for claiming to be anti-abortion but not doing anything about it. "My bottom line is: Little babies are dying a horrible death. What's wrong with the president?" Creating embryos for research purposes is not against any law. The researchers who published the study in the Wednesday issue of Fertility and Sterility were clearly not trying to hide their methods. The paper's title reads: "Use of human gametes obtained from anonymous donors for the production of human embryonic stem cell lines." Now that it's out in the open, the scientific community may have a number of issues with which to consider. Caplan said that this is a perfect example of why the research should be funded by the government, because with funding comes oversight. Without government accountability, clinics such as the Jones Institute can do what they want. A representative of the clinic said the Jones Institute had no comment. The paper said that "many ethical issues were considered before the initiation of this study." SOURCE: WIRED.com http://www.wired.com/news/medtech/0,1286,45179,00.html * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn