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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 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn