Bob Kemp
Embryonic stem cell research: bad science funded by the White House
By Bob Kemp
Not too long ago, Mr. Obama announced in a news conference that government policy would be led by sound science and not by agenda's or politics when it came to deciding when and how federal funding would be accessed and acquired for medical and scientific research. That sounds reasonable to most. However, once again, what Mr. Obama says and what happens are two completely different things.
In the field of stem cell research, much progress has been made in the study, use and development of adult stem cells. As a matter of fact, to date there have been close to one hundred successful applications of adult stem cell therapy, resulting in astounding results. For example; Barry Goudy suffered from multiple sclerosis. He underwent adult stem cell replacement therapy and he has lived a normal life ever since. In the documentary Lines that Divide, produced by the Center for Bioethics and Culture, Goudy says, "They reboot your immune system. I live a normal life. I coach hockey, I play racquetball, I golf."
Another testimony heard in the film is that of twenty-two year old Corrina Archuleta. She had an advanced case of a flesh-eating auto-immune disorder. Her condition was so severe that her family had begun to plan her funeral. Adult stem cell therapy saved her life.
Unfortunately, adult stem cell research does not receive the funding that embryonic stem cell research does. This frustrates many researchers that are involved in adult stem cell research because they know that the cure for many diseases is held in their research. They know this because of the great success they have already experienced. The politics behind the reason for where the money goes is very simple; it boils down to money and agendas. You see, adult stem cell therapy is very patient specific. Many times a patient's own stem cells are used to affect a cure. That's not what the drug companies want. They want to develop a treatment for a disease, not a cure. A cure would not bring as much revenue to the drug companies as an on-going treatment would. The drug companies will not get rich off of a cure, so the welfare of the patient is secondary.
Researchers in embryonic stem cell research will tell you there is great promise and potential in their work. They will tell you it is easier to reprogram an embryonic stem cell than an adult stem cell. They will tell you they can make that embryonic stem cell become whatever they want it to become. And this is why the Obama administration, which has absolutely no concern for the sanctity of life, especially that of the unborn, is throwing billions of dollars into the hands of embryonic stem cell researchers.
Embryonic stem cell treatments have rendered no success stories at all; not even one. Patients treated with embryonic stem cells have their hopes crushed after having them built up so greatly by those they are led to put their trust in. Often times the patients will develop cancers or tumors as a direct result of embryonic stem cell treatments. Such was the case for an Israeli boy who was suffering from a genetic brain disease. His family sought treatment through fetal stem cell injections. The treatment he received caused tumors to grow in the boy's brain and spinal cord. These tumors are called tertatomas (monster tumors), which have been known to grow to the size of footballs. These monster tumors can even contain body parts like hair, eyes and teeth!
Yet despite years of failed research and no positive results from patient treatment, the Obama administration is behaving in a very stiff-necked way when it comes to funding. Sound science is being ignored while bad science is being funded.
There is real promise in what is being called induced pluripotent stem cells. Dr. Shinya Yamanaka of Japan's Kyoto University was the first to "reprogram" human skin cells to behave like embryonic stem cells. These cells can actually do everything embryonic stem cell researchers promise their work can do...without destroying a single embryo. The National Institutes of Health are backing this type of research and calling it a "renewable" source of replacement cells and tissues to treat diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's as well as spinal cord injury, stroke, burns, heart disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. The list of what this new research promises continues to grow.
If you want to stop government waste, embryonic stem cell research is a good place to start. Over $3 billion dollars has already been allocated for this bottomless pit which holds no promise of doing anything but sucking more and more money out of the federal budget each year. The researchers love it because they are funded very well and, they do not have to produce any positive results. The Obama administration loves giving them the money because it makes them have the appearance of caring, but really all they are doing is greasing the machine that got them elected in the first place; and getting re-elected is all they really care about.
As the Titanic sank, the band played on.
© Bob Kemp
July 30, 2009
Not too long ago, Mr. Obama announced in a news conference that government policy would be led by sound science and not by agenda's or politics when it came to deciding when and how federal funding would be accessed and acquired for medical and scientific research. That sounds reasonable to most. However, once again, what Mr. Obama says and what happens are two completely different things.
In the field of stem cell research, much progress has been made in the study, use and development of adult stem cells. As a matter of fact, to date there have been close to one hundred successful applications of adult stem cell therapy, resulting in astounding results. For example; Barry Goudy suffered from multiple sclerosis. He underwent adult stem cell replacement therapy and he has lived a normal life ever since. In the documentary Lines that Divide, produced by the Center for Bioethics and Culture, Goudy says, "They reboot your immune system. I live a normal life. I coach hockey, I play racquetball, I golf."
Another testimony heard in the film is that of twenty-two year old Corrina Archuleta. She had an advanced case of a flesh-eating auto-immune disorder. Her condition was so severe that her family had begun to plan her funeral. Adult stem cell therapy saved her life.
Unfortunately, adult stem cell research does not receive the funding that embryonic stem cell research does. This frustrates many researchers that are involved in adult stem cell research because they know that the cure for many diseases is held in their research. They know this because of the great success they have already experienced. The politics behind the reason for where the money goes is very simple; it boils down to money and agendas. You see, adult stem cell therapy is very patient specific. Many times a patient's own stem cells are used to affect a cure. That's not what the drug companies want. They want to develop a treatment for a disease, not a cure. A cure would not bring as much revenue to the drug companies as an on-going treatment would. The drug companies will not get rich off of a cure, so the welfare of the patient is secondary.
Researchers in embryonic stem cell research will tell you there is great promise and potential in their work. They will tell you it is easier to reprogram an embryonic stem cell than an adult stem cell. They will tell you they can make that embryonic stem cell become whatever they want it to become. And this is why the Obama administration, which has absolutely no concern for the sanctity of life, especially that of the unborn, is throwing billions of dollars into the hands of embryonic stem cell researchers.
Embryonic stem cell treatments have rendered no success stories at all; not even one. Patients treated with embryonic stem cells have their hopes crushed after having them built up so greatly by those they are led to put their trust in. Often times the patients will develop cancers or tumors as a direct result of embryonic stem cell treatments. Such was the case for an Israeli boy who was suffering from a genetic brain disease. His family sought treatment through fetal stem cell injections. The treatment he received caused tumors to grow in the boy's brain and spinal cord. These tumors are called tertatomas (monster tumors), which have been known to grow to the size of footballs. These monster tumors can even contain body parts like hair, eyes and teeth!
Yet despite years of failed research and no positive results from patient treatment, the Obama administration is behaving in a very stiff-necked way when it comes to funding. Sound science is being ignored while bad science is being funded.
There is real promise in what is being called induced pluripotent stem cells. Dr. Shinya Yamanaka of Japan's Kyoto University was the first to "reprogram" human skin cells to behave like embryonic stem cells. These cells can actually do everything embryonic stem cell researchers promise their work can do...without destroying a single embryo. The National Institutes of Health are backing this type of research and calling it a "renewable" source of replacement cells and tissues to treat diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's as well as spinal cord injury, stroke, burns, heart disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. The list of what this new research promises continues to grow.
If you want to stop government waste, embryonic stem cell research is a good place to start. Over $3 billion dollars has already been allocated for this bottomless pit which holds no promise of doing anything but sucking more and more money out of the federal budget each year. The researchers love it because they are funded very well and, they do not have to produce any positive results. The Obama administration loves giving them the money because it makes them have the appearance of caring, but really all they are doing is greasing the machine that got them elected in the first place; and getting re-elected is all they really care about.
As the Titanic sank, the band played on.
© Bob Kemp
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