Stem cell research payoff

[widebody911]

Stem cells used to boost breasts

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6354451.stm

[Nostril Cheese]

breasts are evil and immoral. God told me so. hence another reason for stem cells to be banned

[cmccuist]

Obviously, stem cells are not banned. Nor is any research into stem cells banned. Nor is the government funding of stem cell research banned.

There is a reduction in federal money being used to fund EMBRYONIC stem cell research. Either because of Bible-thumping Christians or because it's a stupid idea similar to alchemy or finding a cure for cancer in the rain forest. Take your pick.

[Z-man]

Hey - for the record, this Bible-thumping Christian is FOR stem cell research, including embryonic research.

Hoping they create a clone of me someday so I can, er, borrow his pancreas and get rid of my diabetes.

I wonder how many of the Bible thumping Christians would change their views if they had a chronic disease that slowly kills them, and the can potentially be cured due to stem cell developments...

Cynical? Me? Neh-ver.
-Z-man.

[cmccuist]

Z, the political question is government funding of emryonic stem cell research. My view is that it's not the wonderful cornucopia of miracle cures as advertised.

It's mostly a vehicle for abortion activists (for and agin') to go at each other hammer and tong.

I suppose if there's ever a break through, private industry will get invovled and render the debate moot (or mute).

[the]

"Kotaro Yoshimura, a surgeon at the Tokyo University medical school, said more than 40 patients had been treated."

Thank god there is finally a treatment for small breasts! That is not a condition that should go untreated.

[nostatic]

geez, not this crap again...

The gov funds a lot of research. Stuff that industry will not touch for a variety of reasons. Basic research is what made this country a technological powerhouse. Applied research is what makes money. Problem is you can't do #2 until you do #1.

Just because industry hasn't "jumped on the bandwagon" does not mean the research vector is moot.

[Nathans_Dad]

This is one of those arguments that will never have a resolution so let me just put the facts out there. The issue is not whether embryonic stem cell research can be done, it can and is being done in the US right now. The issue is whether the federal government will fund NEW lines of embryonic stem cells (there are already lines available that have been established). The states are free to fund these new cell lines as are private industry.

FWIW, I'm not sure where I stand on the issue, I know I am firmly against any sort of human cloning though, that is where we might just tumble over the precipice.

[Z-man]

Originally posted by Nathans_Dad
FWIW, I'm not sure where I stand on the issue, I know I am firmly against any sort of human cloning though, that is where we might just tumble over the precipice.

Why? If they can clone an identical Z-man (scary, eh?) then I would could get a pancreatic transplant without any fear of rejection -- since it would have the same DNA as I do, the body would theortically be fooled into thinking it was mine to begin with.

My hang up is with the creation of life issue. IE: Can they clone only part of a body? Like a pancreas...

As for the government's involvement - sure there is private research being done, but if the gov't would invest more funding into research, that would theoretically speed up the process.

-Z-man.

[fintstone]

Kill your clone for a body part? Sure sounds like a moral issue to me.

[dhoward]

"Soylent Green is people."

[Joeaksa]

Originally posted by fintstone
Kill your clone for a body part? Sure sounds like a moral issue to me.

Unless he had a bigger johnson for transplant...