 |
 |
Doctors Send Letter to Educate Congress on Adult Stem Cells by Steve Jordahl, correspondent August 2, 2004 Effort by the Christian Medical Association aims at setting the record straight. More than 2,000 doctors have signed a letter asking lawmakers to educate themselves about the benefits of research using adult stem-cells. The letter, sent by the Christian Medical Association (CMA), points out that the quickest and most economical path to real cures is through adult stem-cell research and urges Congress to focus its funding on that line of study, according to CMA Executive Director Dr. David Stevens. "Many of them are unaware of the research that's out there and what the medical journals are showing," he said. "What they're hearing is from so-called scientific experts who are blinded by their desire for federal funding." Stevens said his group's membership is made up of doctors taking care of patients with maladies such as Parkinson's disease and diabetes — patients they can help if they can get the cures promised by adult stem cells. "We cannot stand by and see the country go down the wrong research path — morally and scientifically — when patients are going to continue to suffer," Stevens said. Dr. David Prentice, a former science adviser to members of Congress who now works for the Family Research Council, said adult stem cells — not embryonic stem cells — are the ones showing the real success. "What we're finding," he said, "is you can take these cells, they can stimulate regeneration in the heart, in the brain, in the liver, in virtually any tissue we need." But embryonic research advocates stand to make millions of dollars from patents. And then there's the abortion industry. "Their fear," he said, "is that, if you say you shouldn't destroy embryos, it obviously puts their particular bent on human life in question." The sound science of the CMA letter just might expose the truth. SOURCE: Family News In Focus, CO http://www.family.org/cforum/fnif/news/a0033090.cfm * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn