Let’s promote Embryonic Stem Cell Research!
By Nick Tilsner
The President has reversed another bad policy of the previous eight years, ending the ban on federal funding of embryonic stem cell lines for research. Introduced by President Bush in 2001, the previous policy only allowed funding for existing stem cell lines, rendered basically useless by the scientific community.
President Obama’s lifting of the ban on funding for embryonic stem cell research is a good first step. We should follow up on this opportunity by looking for left over cells in any fertility clinic. The choice is simple; use these discarded cells for promising research or throw them away. Despite the rhetoric of right wing pundits, we are not talking about creating cells just for the purpose of research. Some of these children can be adopted in the clinic before they are implanted in the mother’s womb. However, we are still left with the reality of left over cells that will be discarded after the fertility process. Additionally, this cannot be compared to cloning. Cloning involves creating a person and this does not.
Funding research on embryonic stem cells can lead scientists to find cures for many diseases like Parkinson’s, diabetes, and various spinal cord injuries. Adult stem cells are useful, but embryonic cells can replace any cell tissue in the body, whereas adult cells can only replace tissue from its original location in the body. This research will take five to ten years to fully develop. The longer we wait the longer it will take to help a man with Parkinson’s, or a child with diabetes. America, it is time to look to our future, and this, along with so many other issues, is a starting point.
Congress can work out the key aspects of funding and guidelines with science as a guide. I predict we will know what the Congress will do sometime this year. I would like to see doctors, scientists, and politicians on a board discussing these key aspects of the policy. All views need to be heard. No one will change the views of many of the Republicans, but it is still important to debate policy for our respective causes.
We know most people would not mind a small sin tax of two to three cents on tobacco or alcohol to pay for this research. My only request related to this is that it be done federally. We don’t need a fifty state battle on policy or funding grounds. This research is all about helping people with serious illnesses. President Obama knows that, so I believe science now rules over ideology. We still have work to be completed by Congress. One thing is for sure, people dealing with various illnesses can rest assured help is finally on the way.
Tags: bush, congress, embryonic stem cell research, embryonic stem cells, obama, research, stem cells, U.S. Politics
April 25th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
Bravo to Nick Tilsner for this strong and important column, but also for both his crusading efforts on behalf of stem cell research and the inspiring example of his own life.
It is hard to imagine the fathers of science and medicine who cured polio and so many other frightening diseases being told that their work was somehow immoral. Fortunately, these researchers were not limited by the kind of political “leadership” the U.S. suffered through from 2001 to 2008. Indeed, Bush had it completely wrong. It was immoral for us NOT to push aggressively ahead in addressing potential cures for catastrophic illnesses such as Parkinson’s, palsy, Alzheimer’s, and so many other scurges that touch too many families.
Let us hope that our scientists and Obama’s efforts to fund R&D and the nation’s laboratories can make up for all those wasted years and missed opportunities.
Robert Watson