Posted by
Logophile on Monday, October 30, 2006 3:21:29 AM
I get pretty irritated with people who foster the idea that certain politicians want to ban stem cell research. The latest flap about Michael J. Fox's political ad is a case in point.
By using the term "stem cell research" the media are clouding the issue. I realize that it is cumbersome to write embryonic stem cell research, but that is the only kind that anyone is against. It is actually dishonest to say or even imply that some politicians want to ban stem cell research. Everyone who knows about stem cell research supports it--when it doesn't harm human embryos. Not only do I support most stem cell research, but a friend of mine was successfully treated with a stem cell transplant. May the research continue!
The media also deceive people when they ignore the fact that embryonic stem cell research has not been banned. It is currently going on, much to the chagrin of those who categorically oppose it. The main political issue is really funding. Many conservatives already question the idea of public funding of medical research, but evern more oppose it for something that they regard as ethically wrong, or at least iffy.
To confirm my points, here is an excerpt from an article in Medical News Today, October 30, 2006, by Christian Nordqvist:
Stem Cell Research can either be carried out using Embryonic Stem Cells or Adult Stem Cells. At the moment both are legal in the United States. However, there is no public funding for Embryonic Stem Cell Research.
Conservatives in the USA are against using taxpayers' money to fund Embryonic Stem Cell Research, but not Adult Stem Cell Research.
Stem Cell Research will probably lead to effective treatments and cures for hundreds of chronic and incurable diseases which have killed millions of people and continue to affect the lives many. Stem Cell Research in the USA has fallen behind other countries', such as the United Kingdom, probably because of political and religious interference, say scientists. US scientists say that if Stem Cell Research does lead to huge advances in future medical treatments, the United States will have missed great opportunities, to say nothing of the continuing misery of millions of patients.
People against Embryonic Stem Cell Research say Adult Stem Cell Research is just as effective for scientific breakthroughs. They say Adult Stem Cell Research has brought better results.