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The Arizona Republic, AZ Let technology help humans Jul. 13, 2003 12:00 AM The Arizona chapter of the American Parkinson Disease Association recently completed a write-in campaign to Arizona's congressional delegation, asking their support for therapeutic cloning research. Some 1,800 signatures were gathered and sent to each legislator. To date, Arizona Congressmen Raul Grijalva and Jim Kolbe have responded, favorably, and Sen. Jon Kyl, who co-sponsors the odious Brownback bill, which criminalizes all cloning, responded negatively. Kyl's reason? He views "therapeutic" cloning to be the same as "reproductive" " cloning, and then concludes that "the Congress has a responsibility, on behalf of the American people, to respect the integrity of human life in the face of unprecedented developments in biotechnology, such as cloning." But, all clonings are not the same. Reproductive cloning, that process which brought us the cloned sheep Dolly, does what it says it does, it attempts to produce a new life by placing a blastocyst (pre-embryo) in a uterus. But therapeutic cloning does not involve a uterus. Cells are mixed (no sperm is involved) to create pre-embryonic stem cells, but they are not placed in a uterus. No child is conceived, no human life is created, and none destroyed. There are no "Dollys" in therapeutic cloning. Misconceptions must not dictate this nation's scientific policy. Too much is at stake for too many, young and old, and millions yet unborn. Cures for juvenile diabetes, Alzheimer's, spinal-cord damage, Parkinson's, some cancers and heart disease and more, are realistic goals if the research is allowed to proceed. Sen. Kyl asks "what are the ethical and social implications of applying this technology to human beings?" Senator, what are the implications of not applying this technology to human beings? - Robert L. Dolezal Tucson The writer is president of the Arizona chapter of the American Parkinson Disease Association. SOURCE: The Arizona Republic, AZ http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/0713sunlets137.html * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn