Monday, January 8, 2007

Ebryonic Stem Cell Research

Bob asks, and I paraphrase, "have you ever wondered why only adult stem cell research has provided any meaningful results, while embryonic stem cell research provides nothing?"

Actually, I haven't wondered this, because the answer is so transparently simple that my head almost exploded while Bob was asking it. The reason is embryonic stem cell research is practically non-existent, because so-called "pro-life" zealots, like Bob Dutko, who are a small minority in this country, have prohibited meaningful public funding of it.

The very sad reality is that hundreds of new embryos are made every day during invitro (IV) fertilization procedures. You know, the procedures that help couples to get pregnant and have wonderful babies. During these procedures, they make more embryos than are actually necessary, because many embryos aren't suitable for implantation. These extra embryos are typically frozen until the couple decides they don't want to use them anymore. Then they are thrown in the trash. Instead of throwing them in the trash, scientists would like to do research with the stem cells from these embryos. But people like Bob object.

Bob would rather see these embryos thrown away than used for research that could provide life saving or improving results.

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