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No harm in waiting another 50 years: Ray Don't rush to judgment over stem cell research A newcomer to Georgia couldn't be faulted if he or she were to conclude that many in Georgia's General Assembly would be satisfied if they could transport scientific inquiry into the dark ages. This is particularly true as it pertains to embryonic stem cell research, which scientists believe holds the promise of curing diseases medicine currently can only treat symptomatically. The latest legislative measure, sponsored by Sen. Casey Cagle, R-Gainsville, would send scientists and researchers who delve into embryonic stem cell experimentation to prison for up to 10 years and have them face fines of hundreds of thousands of dollars. It also would place Georgia squarely among states that have the most restrictive laws concerning stem cell research. Cagle's bill is intended to counter a far more moderate proposal, authored by Sen. David Adelman, D-Atlanta, which, while it would restrict the creation of fertilized human embryos for stem cell use, it would permit unused embryos created in the state's fertility clinics to be used for stem cell extraction. These unused embryos - tiny clusters of human cells that have the potential of becoming human if transplanted into a woman's uterus - are usually frozen and later discarded. Stem cells, which have properties that enable them to develop into hundreds of other human cells as needed, can be obtained from several sources: Adult cells, placental tissue, umbilical cord blood, amniotic fluid and embryos created from fertilized human eggs. It is stem cells derived from embryos that researchers insist have the greatest potential to address a multitude of human ills. This last procedure - plus a procedure called therapeutic cloning, which has never been achieved from cells from humans and is frowned upon by the scientific community - is specifically targeted by Cagle's bill. The controversy revolves around a medical/religious ethics issue: Whether retrieving stem cells from an embryo is destruction of human life. Casey and anti-abortion advocates contend it is; advocates of embryonic stem cell research contend a cluster of cells no larger than a pinhead do not equal humanity. And, they are adamant that, while adult stem cells, as well as cells obtained from other sources are important, it is the highly adaptive embryonic cell that most likely will be successful in curing diabetes, heart disease, spinal cord injuries and possibly even brain damage. A suggestion by the Georgia Biomedical Partnership, reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, is worth considering: Put both measures on hold. Instead, create a committee to explore the scientific and ethical ramifications of stem cell research over the course of a year. Georgia should not rush to judgment on this vitally important issue. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn