It’s being discussed in court rooms, board rooms, the halls of Congress and the classroom. You’ve probably even heard it discussed in the break room at work. It has played a part in recent Presidential debates. Christopher Reeve’s death brought it back in the news. Nancy Reagan continues to fight for it, misusing her pro-life husband’s death to further her case. Stem cell research is a hot topic that we should be informed about so that we can defend our pro-life position. California passed Prop 71 allowing over 3 billion dollars for embryonic stem cell research, and nothing for adult or neonatal stem cell research. So what’s the big deal about stem cell research? What are the facts that the liberal media is NOT telling us?

To start, what are stem cells? Stem cells are the building blocks of life. In the first few weeks of life, our tiny bodies are filled with stem cells that multiply and eventually turn into dozens of different cells that our bodies need, like heart cells, bone cells, skin cells, etc. Scientists envision drawing from colonies of stem cells that can replicate for long periods of time to create new specialized cells. These specialized cells would then be transplanted into patients to repair or replace tissues that disease and disability have damaged. (1) In other words, if John Smith has liver disease, a scientist could theoretically “steer” stem cells into becoming liver cells, and use these manufactured liver cells to treat Mr. Smith.

Where can you find stem cells? You can find embryonic stem cells in human embryos during the first few weeks of life. You can find neonatal stem cells in placentas and umbilical cords after birth, and adult stem cells can be found in more than 12 places in our bodies, including our blood stream, bone marrow and skeletal muscle. So what’s the problem? The key to understanding the ethics of stem cell research is knowing the difference between embryonic stem cell research, and adult stem cell research. Allow me to explain.

Adult stem cell research is not controversial; no human being dies when these cells are collected.

On the other hand, embryonic stem cell research (ESCR) kills the donor every single time. In-vitro fertilization results in several living embryos, a few of which are delivered to the parents to produce a successful pregnancy. The remaining embryos are often sent to a lab where their stem cells are cut out and the undeveloped bodies destroyed. There is absolutely no way to get embryonic stem cells from an embryo without killing him or her. We’re not only killing babies in the womb, now we’re killing them in petri dishes too.

Embryonic stem cell research has not cured anything yet, partially because embryonic stem cells are harder to control than scientists initially thought. Sometimes, scientists can engineer the stem cells to become what they want; sometimes they can’t. For example, a man in China had embryonic stem cells transplanted into his brain to cure Parkinson’s, and while some of the stem cells became brain cells like they were supposed to, the others became hair and bone cells! The man died a painful death as bone tissue grew into his brain and killed him. (2)

While embryonic stem cell research has yet to treat a single disease, adult and neonatal stem cell research has had the opposite results. Through adult stem cell research, diabetes patients have been off of insulin for over a year. Parkinson’s patients have shown an average sixty-one percent improvement of coordination. (3) Twenty-three patients have regained their eyesight following adult stem cell transplants. (4) A patient with multiple sclerosis improved after being treated with adult stem cells from his own blood. (5) Even spinal cord injuries have been treated, and previously paralyzed people are walking with braces. (6) The list of over 70 different diseases treated goes on.

If embryonic stem cell research becomes accepted by our society, you should know that human cloning is the next logical step. (This point is proven by Missouri’s Amendment Two, which protects “therapeutic” cloning in their constitution!) We often talk about being on a “slippery slope.” With today’s developments, we’re not even at the top anymore. We’re riding down in a toboggan that’s been sprayed with Pam. We must act now to stop embryonic stem cell research; but before you can act, you must educate yourself about the issue. Contact the RLCC office for more info and research, and prepare to be a voice for the voiceless.

Sources:
1: NIH, Stem Cells: Scientific Progress and Future Research Directions, 6/01
2: "Survival and proliferation of nonneural tissues, with obstruction of cerebral ventricles, in a parkinsonian patient treated with fetal allografts.” Neurology, Volume 46, Issue 5. May 1, 1996.
3: Gill, SS et al., “Direct Brain Infusion of Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in Parkinson Disease.” Nature Medicine. May 9, 2003, p. 589-595.
4: Holland, Edward J et al., “Management of Aniridic Keratopathy With Keratolimbal Allograft: a Limbal Stem Cell Transplantation Technique.” Ophthalmology, Volume 110, Issue 1, p. 125-130.
5: Silber, Judy. “A Promising Weapon in the Fight Against MS.” Sept. 7, 2000. Accessed at: www.mult-sclerosis.org/news/Sep2000/LATimesMSStemCellTransplants.html
6: Zwillich, Todd, “Paralysis Patients Tout Adult Stem Cells: Portuguese Surgery Soon To Seek FDA Approval in US.” WebMD Medical News, June 24, 2004. Accessed at: http://my.webmd.com/content/Article/89/100250.htm