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Michael J. Fox Promotes Embryonic Stem Cell Research in Wisconsin

Michael J. Fox will join Gov. Jim Doyle for a tour of the Waisman Center in Madison Feb. 1 in an effort to promote embryonic stem cell research [more here and here]. Doyle suggests that ESC research is consistent with Wisconsin’s reputation as a leader in biotechnology and has great "potential" for helping those who are afflicted by a chronic disease, such as Parkinson’s.

In response, Pro-Life Wisconsin issued a statement by State Director Peggy Hamill. Here are a few excerpts that remain yet to be answered by ESC proponents:

Literally hundreds of clinical trials are now going on using adult stem cells, and they are yielding some astonishing successes. For example, one Parkinson’s disease sufferer had adult stem cells from his own brain re-injected after they were cultured and matured into dopamine-secreting neurons. Following the procedure, his motor skills had improved by 37 percent, and dopamine production increased 55.6 percent. One year after the procedure, the patient rated an 83 percent improvement in his condition with no other Parkinson’s medication. This story was reported by some wire services and inside the Washington Post, though not on the front page where it belonged.

Ethically uncontroversial adult stem cells have helped thousands of patients, and new clinical uses expand almost weekly. Importantly, however, no clinical trials are using embryonic stem cells.

For researchers to hold out the "potential" for cures with unproven and unethical embryonic stem cell research when astonishing, proven results have been achieved with adult stem cells is a grave disservice to those who live with these diseases and hope for cures sooner rather than later.

The "unethical" aspect of ESC harvesting is the destruction of a human life that is immature but yet human.

Posted by tim at January 31, 2005 7:56 PM

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