Adult Stem Cells FTW!

Researchers in Italy have successfully treated dozens of patients, who were blinded as a result of chemical burns, with their own stem cells. The list of potential uses for adult stem cells keeps rising while embryonic stem cells haven’t really hit the mark.

The treatment worked completely in 82 of 107 eyes and partially in 14 others, with benefits lasting up to a decade so far. One man whose eyes were severely damaged more than 60 years ago now has near-normal vision.

In the study, published online by the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers took a small number of stem cells from a patient’s healthy eye, multiplied them in the lab and placed them into the burned eye, where they were able to grow new corneal tissue to replace what had been damaged. Since the stem cells are from their own bodies, the patients do not need to take anti-rejection drugs.

This is another advantage of adult stem cells. The body recognizes the cell already so rejection is not a major factor, unlike embryonic stem cells.

Adult stem cells, which are found around the body, are different from embryonic stem cells, which come from human embryos and have stirred ethical concerns because removing the cells requires destroying the embryos.

Pro-lifers are not against science. As time goes on and more research becomes available adult stem cells will be the difference maker in healing, not embryonic stem cells. Plus they are ethically sound! Win Win!

Franciscan University of Steubenville’s Patrick Lee discusses stem cell research

Found this great video via Lisa Correnti:

Dr. Patrick Lee, who holds the John N. and Jamie D. McAleer Chair of Bioethics at Franciscan University of Steubenville, appeared on “The World Over” with Raymond Arroyo on April 24, 2009. They discussed the moral implications of the new federal guidelines from the National Institutes for Health that govern embryonic stem cell research.

This sounds like the same Dr. Patrick Lee I read in high school philosophy (an essay entitled, “Is Every Human Being A Person?”). Unfortunately, the video isn’t embeddable so you’ll have to go here to see it.

U.S. Bishops Criticize Guidelines on Funding Embryonic Stem Cell Research

Strong words from Monsignor David Malloy, general secretary of the U.S. episcopal conference:

The priest recalled the conclusion of the National Bioethics Advisory Commission appointed by President Bill Clinton, that “because human embryos deserve ‘respect’ as a form of human life, destroying them for stem cells is ‘justifiable only if no less morally problematic alternatives are available for advancing the research.'”

He went on to note that alternatives are not only available, but have been found to offer the only effective promise for stem cell cures.

Then, responding to Obama’s comments on the issue:

“As [President Obama] noted,” Monsignor Malloy said, “we must not make ‘a false choice between sound science and moral values.’ In fact, these sources of guidance both point in the same direction, away from destructive embryonic stem cell research. His executive order and these guidelines nonetheless insist on a course of action that is both morally objectionable and, increasingly, scientifically obsolete.”

Malloy is obviously alluding to adult stem cells — you know, the ones that don’t involve killing human beings to harvest?

Ontario, California in stem cell deal

Students for Life is against embryonic stem cell research, but not against stem cell research in general. Of course not! Adult stem cells have provided many cures and treatments for serious disease without any moral questionable practices, compared to the destruction of embryos for research that has led to absolutely no reliable medical cures or treatments with embryonic stem cells.

After 20 years of research, there are no approved treatment or human trials using embryonic stem cells. Their tendency to produce tumors and malignant carcinomas, cause transplant rejection, and form the wrong kinds of cells are just a few of the hurdles that embryonic stem cell researchers have been unable to overcome.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stem_cell with sources:

• The Heritage Foundation, Federal Stem Cell Research: What the Taxpayers Should Know, May 24, 2005
• Life Issues Institute, Embryonic Versus Adult Stem Cells? It’s Really No Contest

Embryonic stem cells have not yet been used for even one therapy, while adult stem cells have already been successfully used in numerous patients, including for cardiac infarction (death of some of the heart tissue)

It is remarkable that in the debate–often carried on with little competence–the potential of embryonic stem cells is exaggerated in a one-sided way, while important moral questions and issues of research strategy are passed over in silence.

From The Case for Adult Stem Cell Research

Over the weekend, Ontario and Calfornia announced a deal to boost stem cell research, embryonic and possibly adult stem cell research. What drives me insane is that none of the major news outlets even attempt to distinguish between the two when reporting on the story! Here’s what CTV had to say:

U.S. President George Bush and most of Schwarzenegger’s other Republican colleagues are opposed to stem cell research because embryos are destroyed in the research process.

McGuinty to ink stem cell deal with Schwarzenegger

Clearly, an attempt to paint those opposed to embryonic stem cell research as anti-science and anti-progress, when there is no attempt to even mention in passing any of the moral or ethical questions involved in embryonic stem cell research, or any of the serious obstacles to finding effective embryonic stem cell treatments compared to the huge successes in recent years with the uncontroversial adult stem cells.

Think free! Do your research! (Wikipedia, though not guaranteed to be accurate, is a great starting point with scientific links to dig deeper into the matter: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stem_cell)

Adult stem cells offer us great promise for medical advances, for cures and treatments without ethically questionable practices! The distinction is an important one.