The quickly approaching of the mid term elections bring all the specific interest champions out into the limelight. Advocates for specific interests ranging from the environment to animal rights all view the political process as a means to advance their causes. Chief among these media darlings dedicated to a social agenda is Michael J. Fox.
Mr. Fox has enabled scientists to carry out some outstanding analysis in regards to Parkinson's illness (PD). The Michael J. Fox Foundation has awarded way more the seventy million dollars in scientific grants involving way more than two hundred analysis projects in eighteen nations.
Among the wide array of projects supported by the Fox Foundation is a gene therapy that injects a virus with a gene created by the team of Dr. Raymond Bartus into the brain. The theory behind this study is that seeding the malfunctioning area of the brain will lead to it to start off generating Dopamine. Dopamine is a hormone like neurotransmitter.
The Cleveland Clinics: Glossary of Parkinson's illness Terms defines Dopamine as
A chemical created by the brain it assists in the successful transmission of messages from a single nerve cell to the subsequent. Individuals with Parkinson's have decreased amounts of the chemical in the basal ganglia and substantia nigra, two structures situated deep in the brain. Dopamine coordinates the actions of movement, balance, and walking.
One other study at the University of Florida supported by the Fox Foundation is led by Dr. Christine Sapienza. This group of scientist are working on curing a symptom of PD, that of difficulty swallowing. This can appear trivial at initially blush until you understand that the major lead to of death in a PWP (Individual with Parkinson's) is aspiration pneumonia. Water leaking into the airway causing infection, pneumonia and death.
In Beijing China compounds discovered in green tea are being study in the occasion that they can slow the progression of PD. Once more supported financially by the Fox Foundation.
Parkinson's illness is a pretty very misunderstood illness. There are an estimated a single and a half million folks in the United States suffering from PD. It is a degenerative neurological disorder that impacts the Dopamine generating area of the brain. This loss of Dopamine can lead to at rest tremors, a slowness of movement, rigidity of trunk and limbs and impaired balance. These are only the key symptoms of PD with dozens of secondary symptoms. PD is a quietly devastating illness.Mr. Fox has joined the political process to promote Stem Cell analysis, especially Embryonic Stem Cell Study (ESCR). Mr. Fox and our media have purchased into the claims of particular members of the scientific community that embryonic stem cells are the good panacea, the magic bullet, and a remedy all resolution. Fact is not a single therapy has been created working with Embryonic Stem Cells.
Diana Kapp in The $3 Billion Cell Job states [1] "Not a single embryonic stem cell has ever been tested in a human being, for any illness."
Read what she says cautiously, not only are their no therapies working with ESCR, but no analysis project has progressed to the stage of testing on humans. This soon after twenty 5 years of analysis and testing on embryonic stem cells obtained from mice.
Stuart Newman, Professor of Cell Biology and Anatomy, New York Medical College wrote [two] "there had been basically no progress in curing or even palliating disabling conditions for which mouse 'models' existed, such as diabetes, spinal cord injury, Parkinson's and so forth."
No progress towards a remedy for diabetes, spinal cord injury or PD, not even to relieving the symptoms of these tragic disabling conditions. Neither a single remedy nor relief of the any of the symptoms associated with these illnesses.
A major advocate of ESCR when asked how lengthy it will take for embryonic stem cell based therapies to be ready, provides the following answer [3] "My answer is 5 years,' he said. 'It's the same thing as saying I have no thought.'"
That is about as truthful an answer as you are likely to come across in the debate over ESCR. As truthful as it is telling, no a single seriously can say definitively that ESCR will develop a remedy in the subsequent numerous decades, or even if a single can be created.
Quoting Mr. Fox in an interview with Katie Couric on April 16 of 2006 "not all politicians are on the same page as scientists. Parkinson's experts believe in stem cell analysis as a promising prospect for a remedy. But the supply of those cells - human embryos -- touches a sensitive nerve in the nation's capitol.
Either Mr. Fox is not being entirely truthful or he does not fully comprehend the claims he makes in the above statement. He implies that all scientists are in agreement with his belief that ESCR is the subsequent good remedy all. That politicians, especially those in Washington are to be blamed for its lack of progress.
A case against this point of view can be created from a letter written through the 2004 Presidential election by fifty-seven noted analysis scientists and physicians. The signatories coming from such renowned analysis facilities as the Mayo Clinic, Georgetown Medical School, Harvard Medical School, and the National Cancer Institute. In this letter written to the Kerry - Edwards campaign relating to their statements on ESCR these same scientists accuse the campaign of being irresponsible, dangerous and misleading.
Third, the statements you have created relating to the purported medical applications of embryonic stem cells reach far beyond any credible evidence, ignoring the limited state of our expertise about embryonic stem cells and the advances in other locations of analysis that can render use of these cells unnecessary for most applications. To make such exaggerated claims, at this stage of our expertise, is not only scientifically irresponsible - it is deceptive and cruel to millions of patients and their households who hope desperately for cures and have come to rely on the scientific community for correct info. (Ad-hoc group of Scientists Letter to the Kerry - Edwards Campaign October 27th 2004)
After chastising the political campaign of Kerry-Edwards the letter continues on to describe how analysis and treatment of non-controversial adult stem cells have already treated and cured thousands of dozens of illnesses.
Non-embryonic stem cells have been found in most unexpected tissues - in blood, nerve, fat, skin, muscle, umbilical cord blood, placenta, even dental pulp - and dozens of studies indicate that they are far way more versatile than when believed. Use of these cells poses no serious ethical difficulty, and can keep away from all concerns of tissue rejection if stem cells can be obtained from a patient for use in that same patient. Clinical use of non-embryonic stem cells has grown tremendously in recent years. In contrast to embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells are in established or experimental use to treat human patients with numerous dozen conditions, according to the National Institutes of Health and the National Marrow Donor Program (Cong. Record, September 9, 2004, pages H6956-7). They have been or are being assessed in human trials for treatment of spinal cord injury, Parkinson's illness, stroke, cardiac harm, a number of sclerosis, and so on.
Adult Stem Cells are plentiful, painless to get and come with out the moral, ethical and medical baggage of Embryonic Stem Cells. They have and are being applied to treat "numerous dozen conditions", presently.
Once more we see that the medically way more advanced adult stem cells are a superior selection to those taken at an embryonic state. This is a scientific fact. The later in the gestation period a cell has achieved the way more stable it becomes. Cells taken at the earliest or blastocyst stage (5 to 6 days) are very volatile, challenging to function with and likely to lead to tumors. Later in the improvement cycle the cell stabilizes and becomes the type of cell it was created to be.
Mr. Fox is also wrong in his perception of what pro life is and what is not. Once more a quote from the Katie Couric interview, Mr. Fox in response to a question about the "millions of Americans who come across the concept of destroying embryos immoral" :
I would say that, from my opinion, it's an fantastic pro-life thing to do to take those cells and to endeavor to increase the lives of millions and billions of folks that are alive now and will be alive in the future by coming up with cures--and treatments for illnesses.
His concept of pro life and mine vary tremendously. The standard premise to his answer is that of the pro abortion movement. The thought that lives at several stages of improvement are of unequal value and that some stages are of tiny to no value. One other way of saying the same thing would be that the unborn lack some thing that the new born has acquired. This is the slippery slope we come across ourselves on right now, and have been treading ever downward since Roe v. Wade.
All life, the stage of improvement not withstanding is important in the eyes of our Creator. The Bible teaches that males and women were developed in the image of God
So God developed man in his own image, in the image of God he developed him male and female he developed them. Genesis 1:27 (NIV)
Combined with the instruction of the 5th commandment delivered to Moses in Exodus 20:13 "You shall not murder. (NIV)
This makes it imperative that we are to shield life, from its pretty beginning to its natural finish. Life is sacred gift. This truth is unrelated to situation or circumstance. Destroying a human embryo is destroying a living human being. Any middle school biology student know that life beings when the cell divides. ESCR destroys a human being. Michael J. Fox knows this. The scientist proponents of ESCR know this. They have their own causes for pushing their agenda.
As a fellow PD patient myself, my outlook on life and its sanctity are pretty several from that of Mr. Fox. I have learned to look for the blessing in all things, even PD. It is the difference in between a post modern day worldview and a Christian worldview. When a single learns that God is soverign and makes it possible for absolutely nothing that can not be applied to His glory to take place, it provides life a new meaning.
Stem Cell Study can be useful to human sort when completed adequately. It can be extremely destructive when completed outside the bounds of propriety. We should put aside our private agendas and educate a single one other to the details. Stem Cell Study on Adult stem cells delivers good promise of even way more therapies and treatments in the near future.
In conclusion I want to address Mr. Fox straight by saying, Michael you have completed good things with your foundation, all in your own strength. Still you will in no way come across accurate happiness or peace until you come to accept Jesus Christ as the Lord of your life. It staggers my imagination what you could accomplish were you only acting in His will and not your own. As the Apostle Paul writing from a Roman prison cell explains it
I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every single circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and require. I can do all things via him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:12-13 (ESV)
I will pray that you God provides you Michael the wisdom to discern the truth relating to the destruction of embryos and the sanctity of human life. That he will soften your heart and that you will select to let Him in. That you will continue to do His function, His way. All in the name of Jesus, Amen
[1] Diana Kapp, "The $3 Billion Cell Job," San Francisco, January, 2005[two] Stuart Newman, Professor of Cell Biology and Anatomy, New York Medical College, "Averting the Clone Age: Prospects and Perils of Human Developmental Manipulation," J. Contemporary Health Law and Policy,Vol.19:2003, pp.446-447[3] Jonathan Bor, "Stem Cells: A Lengthy Road Ahead," The Baltimore Sun, 3/eight/04
Clyde Annach is the operator of the Internet Log Aha! Clyde's been thinking once more!
No comments:
Post a Comment