Tuesday, April 14, 2009

"Stem Cell Debate Is Dead"

Here is a startling admission on television. Dr. Mehmet Oz (Professor of Cardiac Surgery at Columbia University) posits on Oprah that "the stem cell debate is dead." He explains that embryonic stem cells are difficult to control and result in cancer, while on the other hand, scientists have made 10 yrs. worth of advancement in the past year in causing skin cells to change into pluripotent stem cells which have proven to be much more effective and reliable. (Indeed adult stem cell research has already successfully treated at least 73 diseases!)



h/t: Vital Signs blog

I say "startling admission", because while the problems with embryonic stem cells have been known for quite some time, the truth has not made its way into the mainstream media. Yet Dr. Oz announces it on Oprah, sitting next to one of the most vocal proponents of embryonic stem cell research! In light of this, why did Oprah-approved President Obama rescind the 2007 executive order promoting adult stem cell research? Now federal funds are solely going to embryonic stem cell research. So much for keeping politics out of science! Dr. Oz said that a treatment for Parkinson's could be developed within ten years. Will President Obama's revocation of federal funds for studying adult stem cells slow down the research?

Related Article: Why Embryonic Stem Cells Are Obsolete

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

PRAISE THE LORD!!! I love the quote at the end:

"It is never okay to destroy a human life to better someone else."

I am not surprised to hear that embryonic stem cells were causing cancer in some cases - nothing good can come from taking a human life.

Gayle @ thewestiecrew said...

I have to tell you, I NEVER watch Oprah, but for some bizarre reason, I actually caught this show when it aired.
I cannot tell you how my mouth dropped open when he said that... and the look of MJF's face... Wow.