Embryonic Stem Cell Research is a Must

I just posted the previous comment, and to clarify: I am a physician with a research background. I am aware that my colleagues are very disingenuous about the whole issue, trying to put the focus on the ridiculous "snowflake babies" from fertility clinics. I also am aware how much this is about cold hard cash. Don't be so NAIVE and starry eyed. I have heard plastic surgeons absolutely salivating about the money they can make when we can clone hair follicles. That is right...create human life in order to use the embryos to make HAIR FOLLICLES for rich white bald men. Also, the new facial skin for rich old women. A large number of embryos would need to be created for each procedure. How many lives will it take to make a new head of hair? How much cash would flow? The clones are not as identical to the patient as an identical twin would be, because the new embryo does not have the same maternal egg. However, the baby tissues would not be rejected. That is why you need to make new embryos for the EXPRESS PURPOSE of using it for parts. Oh, well, the ones with the real money will make this happen. The obscenely rich will finally be able to live longer, more productive lives at the expense of the weak and vulnerable. Like the old legend of Count Dracula, maintaining his sick immortality by drinking the blood of innocents. That sort of thing used to make us shudder.

Stop the false information about "leftover frozen embryos" Those would simply be used to perfect techniques that would then be used for the real deal, the "money" of big pharma baby farms. You can't use the frozen embryos for cures. Cures come from new embryos, created from a clone of the individual patient. The genetic similarity is why the new baby tissue would work. Ultimately, embryonic stem cells would only be clinically useful when NEW LIFE IS PURPOSEFULLY CREATED FOR THE PURPOSE OF USING THE BODY PARTS. It would be big pharma at it's finest. Rape third world women for eggs (in exchange for a few bucks) and farm...humans. Like soylent green...your next big pharma product "is people."

Just a few thoughts on your "ideas or opinions" of this subject. Let's kill babies so that we, according to Andrew Halcro, "might provide cures" and deal with embryos that "hold promise". Solid reasoning...NO FACTS on actual outcomes. The "vocal minority" represents more individuals than you are aware of. How many people have you really interviewed to see who the "minority" really is? What is so simple about killing babies that makes it more important to "hold promise" or kill babies so that we "might provide cures"? The question for In Vitro fertilization is not what do we do with the embryos, but how can we lessen the amount of embryos used. Final thought...our system of free trade has always outperformed any other system of growth in ANY industry. It is just a matter of who will profit from it. THAT IS TRUTH IN THE U.S.A. Government intervention is what is being heavily debated today by both democrats and republicans...just in another arena. FINANCE. Values and ideas should hold true no matter the subject.

I agree with the first comment. better to use those life-saving cells than complain about the "Its immoral" crap.

"sanctity of life" is such a idotic this is not a life it is cells in a dish that can help people like my 5 year daughter rid herself of a lifetime of diabetes which in the end will lead to her having a shorter lifespan than if she did not have diabetes. I really wish people would get of their religious horses and think about how these "cells" could save so many lives and increase the quality of life for so many. If the people donating the ingrediates to crete the cells , or the people that donte cells r ok with other people should really just mind their business. These people are they willing to adopt an unwanted child???? doubt it!!! are they willing to give money to support all of the unwanted chcildren in the world ???doubt are they doing anything to help these children volunteering their time donating cloths anything at all.... do they even think about all of the children in the world that are suffering , maybe they should start to try to think of the living breathing real children in the world who are suffering before they start to think about cells in a dish that could have been somehting more ... it is ridiculous

I don't feel like you totally addressed the moral issue of stem cell research and it really seems like the pro stem cell research people don't want to deal with that. Although this represents a good argument it is one sided. It also invalidates the view point of those that are trying to excercise good conscience in the dillemma between playing God and being God's subjects. Regardless of the practical benefits of all stem cell research there is still a "sanctity of life" issue that has not been resolved.

Andrew's Response:

I agree that there is a moral question but the answer seems clear to me. What I've written about is the proposal of using federal funding to further research with stem cells from embroyos that are targeted to be discarded.

Were talking about cells so small they fit on the head of a pin and that would otherwise end up being disposed.

When you consider how using these cells, which have the possibility of making existing lives so much better through potential medical cures, that to me improves the sanctity of life.

Even President Bush who vetoed the recent stem cell legislation, publicly stated he approved of the research, however he felt that taxpayer money shouldn't be used to fund it due to his personal beliefs.

The challenge the science community will always have, is that without nascent government funding, it will be hard to attract private investment to expand research. Many of our greatest technologies today are a result of initial government funding which laid the ground for private enterprise to expand upon.

When you look at the alarming rate of disease in the country (Diabetes up 25% in Alaska in the last 5 years alone) we need to start breaking ground on new medical solutions. I personally feel we can do stem cell research right with good oversight and adequate funding.