You said it. They ran a bit the week before that was even more egregious.
David Nowaczewski | 02.27.06 - 12:24 pm | #

What are we going to do if these scientists ARE successful, though? I mean, it's one thing to denounce these studies NOW, because they haven't been successful yet. But what if they ARE successful?
Sydney Carton | 02.27.06 - 12:52 pm | #

"What are we going to do if these scientists ARE successful, though?"

We'll just have to face the wrath of a self-righteous media, rich biomedical corporations, and desperate sick people. Same thing as now, only magnified.

What exactly was the church's reaction when in vitro fertilization started? That procedure seems to have been the source of all these "excess embryos" that'll just "go to waste."
Kevin Jones | Homepage | 02.27.06 - 1:12 pm | #

Kevin,

I was wondering: what if these things become as routine as vaccinations? I mean, it's the stuff of science-fiction. You take your newborn child to the doctor for a vaccination, and it'll now involve stem-cell treatment. This stuff might not necessarily involve treating afflicted people. It could also be preventative, in which case we'll have to argue with every person who wants it for themselves and their children, not just desperate sick people.
Sydney Carton | 02.27.06 - 1:24 pm | #

If these things become routine catholics will be like the Jeohva witnesses.
Patricio Acevedo | Homepage | 02.27.06 - 2:42 pm | #

I would be appreciative if someone could point me to some sort of explanation of the ins and outs of stem cell research for the layman. Not being of a scientific bent, I keep hearing that all of the successes in stem cell therapy come from the adult stem cell research. Any idea why this is?

Also, if that is the case, why the intense interest in the embryonic stem cells? Is it just a new technology which some perceive may have substantial benefits evetually? Or is it something more sinister (i.e. the obstinate refusal to see an embryo as truly human)?
Joe | 02.27.06 - 2:56 pm | #

Joe, I read somewhere (wish I could find the link) that the biotech companies need to be able to grow a huge number of embryos for all kinds of purposes. If they can get past the adult stem cell thing by claiming that only embryonic cells will work, then the next step would be to announce that they do not have ENOUGH embryos from in-vitro "extras," and need to grow their own.

Follow the money. Who stands to benefit?
anon | 02.27.06 - 4:22 pm | #

"I was wondering: what if these things become as routine as vaccinations? I mean, it's the stuff of science-fiction. You take your newborn child to the doctor for a vaccination, and it'll now involve stem-cell treatment."

This is a good parallel, especially since certain regularly-used vaccines were supposedly derived using a fetus deliberately conceived for abortion.

But I'm really not sure what embryonic stem-cells could be used for in a routine and inexpensive manner, and I don't think even the ESCR boosters are talking about its use in mundane treatments. If you know of any, do tell.

One quotidian possibility that comes to mind is speeding up broken bone healing, but I'm not even sure if that's in the speculative literature yet.
Kevin Jones | Homepage | 02.27.06 - 4:28 pm | #

An awful lot of the push for ESCR is to use it as a glacis against the pro-life movement: to make abortion unassailable.
Ed the Roman | 02.27.06 - 6:08 pm | #

Some days, I just wanna throw up.

This is one of them.
Louise | Homepage | 02.27.06 - 11:44 pm | #