Exploiting Embryos

So, exactly how did Embyronic Stem Cell (EST) research become one of the main election year issues anyway? Do most voters in America lose sleep over whether or not the Federal Government, as opposed to private companies, is spending enough tax dollars on EST? Really? Is that what will drive you to the polls? While we're at war? Really?

However it became an issue, it is an issue. And rarely has a public issue been so propagandized, distorted, and exploited. And with the death of Christopher Reeves this week the exploitation will ramp up exponentially.

I already had my say on this blog on the topic of EST research. (July 29th, A Choice...Reason or Ignorance"). But let me just recap a few salient points:

1. George W. Bush did not ban EST research. He banned federal funding of stem cell lines that were not currently existing. That's federal funding, not all funding. Private companies are free to fund research, and if there were in fact a miracle cure to be found in this research they would be throwing dollars at it.

2. To date EST research, which has severe moral implications in destroying a life to obtain the stem cells, has not had any successfuly trials. In fact, several trials had to be stopped because of severe adverse reactions in trial patients. By contrast, adult stem cell research - which does not entail any of the moral issues - has shown potential. This simple fact has been widely distorted by EST supporters for unfathomable reasons. We should at all costs be pursuing cures through adult stem cell research.

3. Several disabled celebrities or family members are passionate activists for EST research. Ron Reagn, Jr (based on his father suffering from Alzheimer's) and Michael J. Fox who is suffering from Parkinson's come to mind. However, their emotional appeals are distorting the issues. Doctors concede that EST holds no promise for a cure for either Alzheimer's, in Reagan's case, or spinal cord regeneration in Reeve's case. Reeves himself acknowledged this. And the Parkinson's trials were the trials that had to be stopped. The EST activists are using these emotional, and understandable, appeals to distort the basic facts of the science of this research. EST doesn't work. Adult stem cells do.

4. Finally, the demagoguery of John Edwards saying this week that research that could be conducted under a John Kerry presidency could have had Christopher Reeves up out of his wheel chair walking is the lowest form of political pandering and exploitation of suffering I have seen in my long political life. No question about it. Despicable.