Thursday, October 18, 2007
Stem Cells 101 - Part 1
When I first became active in the pro-life movement I figured I'd have to learn more about fetal development and abortion; easy enough. Silly, silly me. Someone should have warned me that I would have to learn about things like Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer!
Today, a grad student emailed me several questions about stem cell research. While answering these questions, I realized that a lot of people ask about stem cell research. I figured that if those people had questions, someone else was bound to have the same thoughts bouncing around in their head. So, starting today, I'll post the student's questions and my answers in a series.
If any of this is confusing - or spurs additional questions - please feel free to ask! You are also more than welcome to disagree with me. I'm a pro-life advocate in Oregon, I'm used to people not agreeing with me.
--------------------------------------------------------
Why specifically do you oppose stem cell research? Is it just the use of embryonic stem cells or is it the process?
We don’t oppose stem cell research (SCR). We’re very excited about the amazing advances being made with adult stem cell therapies. Adult stem cells are harvested from human tissue without any harm done to the donor. Adult stem cells are currently being harvested from umbilical chords (post birth), bone marrow, skin, dental pulp, nasal cavity, fat, plus a variety of other ethical sources. In addition, adult stem cells can be harvested from cadavers within 24 hours of death. To date, there are over 75 cures and treatments that have been derived from adult stem cell research (ASCR).
The second kind of stem cell research is embryonic. This is the form of research we oppose. As an organization we oppose the destruction of all innocent human life.
According to medical textbooks, each of us started our lives as a unique human being at the point of conception. These same textbooks define conception as the moment the sperm penetrates the egg. Here’s just one such definition:
Since we oppose killing an innocent 22 year-old, we also oppose killing a 12 year-old, two year-old, two month old or a baby at two months, weeks or days gestation. We are fundamentally opposed to embryonic stem cell research (ECSR) because it requires the donor embryo to be killed.
In addition, one can not discuss the issue of ESCR without talking about cloning. The two procedures go hand in hand.
Scientists have made it clear that the embryos stored in fertility clinics are no longer adequate for their research. Plus, when conducing lab experiments, scientists found that ESCR treatments are often rejected by lab animals’ bodies - much like a person’s body can reject a donated organ. To solve these problems, scientists have turned to cloning embryos using the patients DNA and a donor egg. The theory is that if the ESC DNA matches the patient’s DNA there will be no reject. This cloning is called Therapeutic Cloning or Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer. During this process, a human being is created for the specific and sole purpose of being killed.
Cloning then poses another problem – access to human eggs. The numbers of eggs needed are astronomical and the harvesting process is far from pleasant. To try to solve this problem, researchers in England will soon be using cow eggs and human DNA in an attempt to create human embryos for research. Stem cell researcher Stephen Minger, director of the Stem Cell Biology Lab at King’s College London said,
It’s clear that the issue of ESCR opens a Pandora’s Box of ethical issues.
It should be noted that to date, not a single embryonic stem cell treatment has had a successful clinical trial; or any clinical trial.
Today, a grad student emailed me several questions about stem cell research. While answering these questions, I realized that a lot of people ask about stem cell research. I figured that if those people had questions, someone else was bound to have the same thoughts bouncing around in their head. So, starting today, I'll post the student's questions and my answers in a series.
If any of this is confusing - or spurs additional questions - please feel free to ask! You are also more than welcome to disagree with me. I'm a pro-life advocate in Oregon, I'm used to people not agreeing with me.
--------------------------------------------------------
Why specifically do you oppose stem cell research? Is it just the use of embryonic stem cells or is it the process?
We don’t oppose stem cell research (SCR). We’re very excited about the amazing advances being made with adult stem cell therapies. Adult stem cells are harvested from human tissue without any harm done to the donor. Adult stem cells are currently being harvested from umbilical chords (post birth), bone marrow, skin, dental pulp, nasal cavity, fat, plus a variety of other ethical sources. In addition, adult stem cells can be harvested from cadavers within 24 hours of death. To date, there are over 75 cures and treatments that have been derived from adult stem cell research (ASCR).
The second kind of stem cell research is embryonic. This is the form of research we oppose. As an organization we oppose the destruction of all innocent human life.
According to medical textbooks, each of us started our lives as a unique human being at the point of conception. These same textbooks define conception as the moment the sperm penetrates the egg. Here’s just one such definition:
Zygote. This cell results from the union of an oocyte and a sperm. A zygote is the beginning of a new human being…This [ a zygote] highly specialized, totipotent cell marked the beginning of each of us as a unique individual.
(Moore, Keith L. and Persaud, T.V.N. The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology. 6th edition. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Company, 1998, p. 2, p. 18)
Since we oppose killing an innocent 22 year-old, we also oppose killing a 12 year-old, two year-old, two month old or a baby at two months, weeks or days gestation. We are fundamentally opposed to embryonic stem cell research (ECSR) because it requires the donor embryo to be killed.
In addition, one can not discuss the issue of ESCR without talking about cloning. The two procedures go hand in hand.
Scientists have made it clear that the embryos stored in fertility clinics are no longer adequate for their research. Plus, when conducing lab experiments, scientists found that ESCR treatments are often rejected by lab animals’ bodies - much like a person’s body can reject a donated organ. To solve these problems, scientists have turned to cloning embryos using the patients DNA and a donor egg. The theory is that if the ESC DNA matches the patient’s DNA there will be no reject. This cloning is called Therapeutic Cloning or Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer. During this process, a human being is created for the specific and sole purpose of being killed.
Cloning then poses another problem – access to human eggs. The numbers of eggs needed are astronomical and the harvesting process is far from pleasant. To try to solve this problem, researchers in England will soon be using cow eggs and human DNA in an attempt to create human embryos for research. Stem cell researcher Stephen Minger, director of the Stem Cell Biology Lab at King’s College London said,
For us to try what we are going to try would take tens of thousands of eggs. These must be fresh and can't come from the unwanted eggs used in IVF treatments…It is unjustifiable to ask women to donate to a research program that is so inefficient. However, cow eggs are readily available in large numbers on a daily basis from animals killed for meat.
It’s clear that the issue of ESCR opens a Pandora’s Box of ethical issues.
It should be noted that to date, not a single embryonic stem cell treatment has had a successful clinical trial; or any clinical trial.
# posted by OregonGirl @ Thursday, October 18, 2007 
