Apr 15 2007
Animal Embryonic Stem Cells Suffice For Research
I have made the point the human Embryonic Stem Cell Research (ESCR) is premature since none of the potential benefits of cures or therapies has been demonstrated in animals yet. There has never been any reasonable explanation why research into the potential of ESCR cannot go forward with animal studies, especially using primates which are over 95% identical to human beings. Now comes more evidence on why animal trials are sufficient to cure diseases, as this lame attempt to show how ESCR progress in mice creates some kind of excuse to kill human beings for spare parts:
Mutated nerve cells called glial cells may secrete the poisons that cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, researchers reported on Sunday.
Two reports published in the journal Nature Neuroscience may show new ways to treat the degenerative nerve disease, which slowly paralyzes its victims until they die.
Both studies used embryonic stem cells from mice to generate batches of cells that mimicked the disease. The researchers said the studies demonstrate that embryonic stem cells can be vital for basic medical research.
For the scientifically challenged, such as the reporter here trying to grasp at straws and the researchers trying to compare Mice to Humans (poetic , eh?) let me point out the obvious. The study discovered the mechanism by which ALS destroys the nervous system – it did not determine any cure or therapy. But more importantly the study went along just fine using Mice Stem cells to produce the batches of diseased cells needed for this breakthrough. So when researchers claim they must have human beings for spare parts they are not being honest.
When these researchers show a CURE or ALS using animal stem cells as the production mechanism AND they prove the animal based cure cannot be used in humans (highly unlikely) then we can discusss whether we need to destroy young humans. Lipstick cannot hit the market until it has been proven in animal trials. There is no reason ESCR cannot be held to the same standard. Since it will be years or decades before this research can possibly provide a cure or therapy, clearly what they have demonstrated is there is no rush to human ESCR at this time.
If I have followed your logic correctly on this debate, I conclude that even if a breakthrough came from ESCR, the equivalent technique could be achieved with adult stem cells with much reduced complexity and no body rejection interactions that ESCR would entail.
Therefore I am trying to grasp why even researchers in the area are so concerned about ESCR when an Adult stem cell variant could be so much better tolerated by the patient.
Very similar to where with some organ transplants, it is my understanding that they are then committed in some cases to a lifelong regime of anti-rejection drugs to accept the transplant.
Merlin,
It is illegal to patent human genes as products, unless you are not legally a human. Does that clear it up for you? The only humans not yet legally recognized are – you guessed it – embryos fetuses.
Yes it does, I had not heard that aspect of the argument before. So by virtue of being able to patent it they want to use them even though it is easier in comparison to use adult stem cells.
Well once they develop their kind, then they can make more money by developing anti rejection drugs to control their creation.
A too for one special.
Seemingly then due to the added complexity and potential body rejection effects of ESCR then the compromise would be to modify the legal base to allow patents on ASCR developed treatments.
I would allow the medical advancement and protect intellectual property and reduce the unnecessary added complexity of ESCR issues.
“It is illegal to patent human genes as products, unless you are not legally a human.” -AJ
I have been struggling to find the money angle in this fight. IPRs make a lot of sense.
ESCR if akin to abortion. In neither case are we dealing with human beings according to the pro-abortion people. When unscrupulous people put forth an idea or initiative of any kind expect there to be a money angle. It is the nature of the beast. Cold, callous people with no thought or any compassion for anyone else besides themselves. The go through life thinking “what’s in it for me” and the hell with anybody else and never deviate from that mode.