 |
 |
ILLINOIS: Stem Cell Proposal To Cause More Debate, Experts Say By Edith Brady-Lunny - [log in to unmask] SOURCE: Bloomington Pantagraph, IL WWWeb: http://tinyurl.com/4h9m2 Wednesday, November 24, 2004 BLOOMINGTON -- A proposal to offer publicly funded grants for stem cell research in Illinois probably will spur more intense debate on the controversial issue, advocates on both sides said Tuesday. State Comptroller Dan Hynes proposed the creation of the Illinois Regenerative Medicine Institute, a move deemed both medically promising and ethically troubling. Dr. David Gill, a Clinton physician who heads the emergency department at Dr. John Warner Hospital, described the research as "potentially a godsend to millions of Americans with heart disease, Parkinson's disease, juvenile diabetes, spinal cord injuries. It's almost limitless at this point." He said he supports Hynes' proposal and embryonic tissue research, but he favors federal regulation. Opponents argue it's not worth the price if the stem cells come from embryos. Joseph Piccione, corporate ethicist with OSF Healthcare, said the move to endorse embryonic stem cell research, including cells from abortions "changes the moral equation." The state-sponsored research grants raise at least two questions for Piccione: "At what point is life protectable? And when can the state say life is protectable?" To Piccione and other opponents of embryonic stem cell research, the potential benefits of medical research do not outweigh the use of cells from aborted tissue. "Justice is a question of whose feet you step on to obtain a goal," he said. The state should not be involved in such research, Piccione, said, calling it being a "party to an unjust action." The Peoria ethicist fully supports research conducted with adult stem cells, which he said are superior to embryonic cells. Gill disagreed that adult stem cells could be more useful in fighting disease. "In all my reading, I have found just the opposite to be true," he said. Gill, who was defeated Nov. 2 in his run to unseat Republican U.S. Rep. Tim Johnson or Urbana, said he would prefer to see the stem cell research issue resolved at the federal level, but he supports Hynes' proposal. Federal oversight and regulation would be beneficial, he added. "We are talking about cells that would be designated for a wastebasket or decades in a freezer. Using cells to help sick people is preferable to a wastebasket," said Gill. Alzheimer's disease is one area of research that holds the most promise for stem cell research results. A policy statement issued earlier this year by the Alzheimer's Association noted the association "opposes any restriction or limitation on human stem cell research, provided that appropriate scientific review and ethical oversight guidelines are in place." SOURCE: Bloomington Pantagraph, IL WWWeb: http://tinyurl.com/4h9m2 * * *Murray Charters <[log in to unmask]> Please place this address in your address book Please purge all others Web site: Parkinsons Resources on the WWWeb http://www.geocities.com/murraycharters ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn