As I said, the embryonic stem cell promises have been all hype and snake oil:

Key parts of a landmark paper from South Korea’s most renowned stem cell scientist were fabricated and the researcher is seeking to have the work withdrawn, a close collaborator told South Korean media on Thursday.

The daily newspaper Hankyoreh and three South Korean television networks quoted Roh Sung-il as saying that he, stem cell scientist Hwang Woo-suk and another co-author of the landmark 2005 Science paper on tailor-made stem cells had notified the journal they were withdrawing the paper.

“Professor Hwang admitted to fabrication,” Roh said on MBC television. Roh, a hospital administrator and specialist in fertility studies, was referring to a meeting he said he had with Hwang earlier in the day.

Repeated attempts to reach Hwang and his other team members were not immediately successful. Reporters were gathered in sub-zero temperatures late at night at Seoul National University hospital to seek comment from Hwang or his team members.

Members of Hwang’s team plan to hold a press conference on Friday morning, a team member said, adding he was not sure if Hwang would attend.

Another television network, KBS, quoted Roh as saying: “I agreed with Hwang to ask for it (the paper) to be withdrawn.”

Roh told media nine of the 11 stem cell lines that were part of the tailored stem study paper were fabricated and the authenticity of the other two was questionable.

Folks, these are get-rich-quick schemes by people who cannot be straight forward about the challenges facing embryonic stem cell research. I am all for sound research to help people. I am opposed to bridging the moral wall that prohibits experimentation on human beings. Embryos are human beings (check the DNA using court tested methods). Embryos are human individual distinct from the mother and father (check the DNA using court tested methods).

Before we go down the path of using humans as spare part warehouses, let’s make sure there is anything down their worth the trip. Any and all claims of embryonic stem cell potential can be done on primate embryos first. I doubt they can catch up to the successes being made in adult stem cell research, but if people want to show there is greate potential in the embryo – prove it in monkeys first. Then we can debate using human beings for spare parts.

If we have to test lipstick on animals before it can be sold in the market, why can’t we demand proof of the embryonic stem cell snake oil in primates? When did we devolve to this kind of ‘science’ on humans?

UPDATE:

With so much money at stake is there any doubt this could be the kind of ‘collateral damage’ we might begin to see as people try to cash in? Found at Drudge.