Researchers across the US are awaiting an imminent lift on the current embryonic stem cell research ban. The Obama administration is expected to overturn the policy set forth by former President George W. Bush later this week. Unlike adult stem cells, embryonic stem cells are derived from eggs that have been artificially fertilized in an in vitro fertilization clinic, and then donated for research purposes with informed consent of the donors. Embryonic stem cells can become any of the 220 types of cells in the body, whereas adult stem cells are more limited. Scientists at the University of California, Irvine have already developed a therapy based on embryonic stem cells which made paralyzed rats walk again. Earlier this month they were given federal approval to be the first embryonic stem cell treatment to be tested in humans.
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Tags: Bush, embryo, embryonic, in vitro, obama, stem cells, UC Irvine
Dr. Steven Chang, the author of DailyDose, is a staff physician with Kosmix RightHealth. Dr. Chang practices Family Medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center, where his medical interests include both pediatric and geriatric care, public health, gay and lesbian health, and sleep medicine. Dr. Chang trained at the Stanford University affiliated O'Connor Hospital, and was a research fellow at the National Institute of Health. He holds an M.D. from McGill University and a BA in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.
February 3rd, 2009 at 8:28 am
all i can say as a christian u dont kill babies or use their cells for research,decomocrats beleive in killing babies republicans dont.
February 3rd, 2009 at 9:14 am
You are a very black and white person with no out look on the grey side of things. I bet you use countless items that have been either tested on animals or humans for that matter and you have no problem with that. The thing that you as a christian forget is your God gave free will and that includes stem cell research!
And as a person whos neice has Spinal Muscular Atrophy this is such good news! Its one step closer to finding a cure!
So I guess everyone has there reasons
February 3rd, 2009 at 10:09 am
My daughter has been diagnosed with Huntington’s desease which is a fatal heridtary disorder. My son and my grandchildren have their 50/50 chance also. God would be the first one to receive my thanks if a cure could be found with this process. I pray for research constantly.
February 3rd, 2009 at 10:36 am
Not everyone is a christian,and I believe it is the Governments responsibility to represent them also. The moral delima presented by stem cell research is understandable even to those who are not in church Sunday morning.However, as Sue stated i’m sure that even those of you who are christian and might benefit from a cure, would not turn it down if it was your child that needed it. As for Dee this is not a Rep. or Dem. issue it’s a HUMAN issue.
February 3rd, 2009 at 11:11 am
If you want a bias, look at the title of the article “Stem cell research to resume”. We have had and continue to have legal ADULT stem cell research (which GW Bush increased money for during his terms) which has been effective in their advancements such as spinal cord injuries. As far as I know, no advancements for embryonic stem cell have been found. I don’t believe it is the governments job to be responsible for Non Christians, nor Christians either. The government should regulate or over see some things but I don’t need it to be responsible for me. I want cures for things but at what cost?
February 3rd, 2009 at 12:04 pm
I am not surprised that one who supports the killing unborn children would resume stem cell research, but it is quite sad that our country would support the mass killing of innocent children when there are other methods that have been developed to obtain stem cells.
February 3rd, 2009 at 2:36 pm
I want to thank President Obama for making it possible to advance embryonic stem cell therapy. We are now 8 years behind in finding a cure for so many dreadful diseases using these stem cells, because of our former President. Christopher Reeves who gave so much money, unfortunately didn’t live to see a cure because of the election of a President who was like a dictator. I hope that Christopher Reeves did not die in vain and there will be cures for so many horrible, incurable diseases using this type of therapy. The fact that he wasted no time in reversing such a bad decision to a very good one is very commendable and shows that President Obama is a very caring human being. I hope that no bad comes to the family of President Bush, because if embryonic stem cell therapy will be the only cure for a disease in his family, he or a family member will have to suffer and die.
February 3rd, 2009 at 4:24 pm
An embryo is a person.
February 3rd, 2009 at 4:48 pm
God gives free will but He also gives The Ten Commandments, one of which states “thou shall not kill.” With your “free will,” you have the choice to accept Christ and His teachings and have eternal life or otherwise eternal damnation.
February 3rd, 2009 at 5:32 pm
Using embyros is not right. Adult cells are better. I will demand that no embyros be used on me in any fashion. That would be using a dead baby to improve my life. No thanks. Who ever made it all right to use a life or a life that has passed, for research?? Yes……I mean it.
February 3rd, 2009 at 5:48 pm
I have two children with two very different problems, and I Thank God that he will give these rearchers the speed and knowledge to find cures using the embryonic stem cells . If you disagree with me or anyone else who is ravaged with certain diseases, then there for the grace of God go you. Amen!
February 3rd, 2009 at 6:11 pm
Firstly, I do not think this should be made into a relgious thing. Whoever said it was right, its a HUMAN issue. Im single, 21 and currently 6 months pregnant. I’m not a conservitive but abortion was not the answer for me. But I do think that it should be up to each lady to make a choice as it is her body. I understand its sad, but its no ones right to make choices about your body. With that said, if someone is going to have one anyways, why let it go to waste and be for nothing? The baby still has a purpose in its short life, which could be to help save others. The amount of things we could cure and learn from stem cells is truly amazing.
February 3rd, 2009 at 6:41 pm
I do not believe that the government has any right to pass a law that uses the idea of producing babies to kill them. If anyone would really take a look at your own child whether healthy or sick, and the government decides that their DNA is perfect for a cure & they pass a law to kill your baby, would you be ok with that?
Our country has desensitized life, by making people believe they always have an easy way out option. Remember life begins at conception.
All of you who are for it, why don’t you give your born child up for experimentation, better yet why don’t you give your life up for this process so you can save your own child? Morality begins in our hearts. It’s immoral to take an innocent babies life who never had a say or idea as to what life really is. Just look at your precious little baby and imagine someone snuffing out their little lives. It truly is a sin. Now look at your sick babies, and your selfish ideology, Pray God will make research find a cure, but he will never condone the cure at the expense of another life.
If Obama was a very caring human being, embryonic stem cell research would be the thing he would abolish! Might as well let all the murderers in prison out too, they did the same thing, Kill another human being for their own reasons, without any concern for the life of their victims! Their victims were not allowed to defend themselves either. Murder is murder any way you color it. Remember for every decision there is a consequence…………….
February 3rd, 2009 at 7:08 pm
if i’m not mistaken the embryos that they are going to use are the left over cells that would be destroyed anyway. If that is the case then this is a ridiculous debate. I wonder how many of those individuals that chose to go to a fertility clinic are Pro-life, and if so how do they justify the termination of the embryos that were not implanted, and as far as that goes why don’t they go adopt a child God knows there are plenty of his children waiting for a good christian home
February 3rd, 2009 at 8:24 pm
What have we come to…..why would you want to kill a person to promote research. Adult stem cell research is the answer. Most Embryos come from aborted or “created” babies in a petri dish. Abortion is a BILLION dollar industry…and if you have ever had an abortion…you know it never leaves you. Where is our Christian nation?
February 4th, 2009 at 8:25 am
President Bush DID NOT ban Embryonic Cell Research; He banned the government funding it. I personally agree with him. Partial Birth is disgusting and painful and horribly demonic. Why should babies suffer for the sake of research.
February 12th, 2009 at 12:20 am
I do not agree with stem cell research by puncturing the base of a partially born infant’s head. I understand that the umbilical cord can be used by inserting a suringe into the cord and using the contents within for the neccessary research. If this is true, why not pursue this method? Newborn babies are alive within the womb and diffinitely living in and at birth. Don’t murder our next generation! If you want to look at it from a humanist point; You won’t have any children working to pay for your social security. No money there for you. God will get you for this!!