Some questions re: Ebryonic Stem Cell Research and those who oppose it.

[youthere]

I was watching Cspan's Washington Journal this am and Sen Tom Harkin (my very own) was on discussing the proposals before the Senate today. There was the typical republican pinheads calling in accusing him of "playing god" and eating babies and blah blah...but I got to thinking about a couple of things I've never heard addressed, so maybe some of you can enlighten me a little more.

Do the people who oppose research on "otherwise discarded" embryos also oppose organ donation? If they oppose using embryo that would otherwise be discarded (so then has no potential to become a human being) to potentially cure someone of Alzheimers, or diabetes, or to help heal a spinal cord injury, shouldn't they also be opposed to organ donation? I see a really strong parallel there (maybe you don't) but I've never heard it adressed.

The other thought I had was if a definitive cure for Alzheimers or any other disease was discovered through this research, would they refuse the treatment for themselves or a loved one? If another country developed a vaccine for say Parkinsons or diabetes, would they lobby to keep it from being approved for use in this country?

I've never heard this points addressed so I'd appreciate your insights. Cheers.

[unpossibles]

1. I see the parallel too

although the difference is organ donors are volunteers.

Do I think they would refuse the benefits of this research? Of course they wouldn't, or most wouldn't anyway.

The arguments I've heard against this technology fall into two categories: religious and economic.

Religious:
these folks feel that we're playing god, destroying life, etc. although most are silent about IVF or other medical treatments which allow us to play God (like your example). Although I disagree with this stance, I at least try to respect it, but honestly feel they should not try to put their beliefs onto a secular nation.

Economic:
this to me is so short-sighted it makes me want to scream. It's good we did not have the same problem with the polio vaccine back in the day.


I guess I can't really understand either, and sometimes feel this is nothing more than a political football for many of them.

[youthere]

2. I see your point on the organ donor thing...

because most often the donor has made that decision before death...although sometimes the family makes that decision post-mortem.

Thanks for your thoughts, and FWIW, I agree.

[DemBones DemBones]

3. I would refuse the benefits of research that destroyed human embryos

and I have more than one chronic medical condition, at least one of which may cause my death.

If we allow embryos to be killed for medical research, where does it stop? Will medical researchers someday argue that neonates, or even two year-olds, have even better stem cells that should be harvested, by killing the child?


I would refuse organ transplants as well unless there was a way for me to be sure that the potential donor had not been denied care in order to harvest his/her organs.


I don't view my life as being more important than someone else's, not even an embryo that will be discarded if not used for research. It's too easy to go from using ready-to-discard embryos to deciding to create embryos to be killed for research.


As a biologist, I am very troubled by the lack of concern for human life shown by some medical researchers. Not everything science has brought us has been good, thinking about nuclear weapons should be enough to show that.

[unpossibles]

4. good for you, but unless IVF methods become perfected or is outlawed

I have trouble forseeing a time when we would need to create embryonic tissue for research or treatment.

Personally, I find IVF to be more distasteful than stem cell research, but I would not want either outlawed just because I find it distasteful and wasteful. If I don't agree with it, I won't do it.

I suppose the closest historical example I can think of similar to what you are stating is Bayer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayer

[youthere]

6. I don't understand why is it prefereable for embyos to be discarded...

than for them to be used for research...especially if the donors of those embryos give permission.

[unpossibles]

8. I don't either. n/t

[youthere]

5. I appreciate your insight.

I see your position as being very consistant with your beliefs and I can respect that, even if I don't necessarily agree. Thank you.

[youthere]

7. gratuitous self-kick for the night crew.