catholicsphere

At First Things’ blog, On the Square, Ryan T. Anderson posts an entry about a secret of stem-cell research that some are not talking about.One of the main contentions of scientists who support embryonic stem-cell research, is the pluripotency of embryonic stem-cells. Pluripotency mean the potential of these cells to form any type of cell. The hope is that any of these cells could be used to treat and cure a whole host of illnesses and diseases, particularly where adult stem-cells could not be harvested or used.

To date, all laboratory attempts to utilize embryonic stem-cells have failed to produce results. In some cases, these cells have even formed cancerous tumors in rats.

On the other hand, adult stem-cells are presently being used to treat over 70 diseases or variations thereof.

Of course, the moral and ethical issues involved in embryonic stem-cell research are due to the fact that a human life is terminated (that it is a human life is not in dispute, even among scientists).

There is something that supporters of embryonic stem-cell research and funding are not mentioning — and it’s only recently come about, but has not been able to be completely duplicated. That is the return of a cell to it’s pluripotent state.

The blog post at First Things, however, offers important information that is not being reported in the mainstream media (MSM). It talks about scientists being afraid to speak out about the truth on embryonic stem-cell research, how far away the research is from even a hope of a clinical trial, and the false hopes that patients have been given.

Definitely worth a read. Perhaps a bookmark in your favorites, too.

[tags]first things, embryonic stem cells, stem cells, research, science, pro-life, morals, bioethics[/tags]