Quote:
Originally posted by nostatic
And this is enough data to make your sweeping generalization:
"Embryonic stem cells don't show all that much promise compared to other less controvercial research."
You are right. Overwhelming results. 
So have you led any clinical trials? Or have any bench results either showing the lack of promise of embyonic line or the superiority of "less controvercial" [sic] methods?
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Todd,
I too, have not led any embryonic stem cell research, but frankly, I believe that no one here can speak in those terms. I don't believe that embryonic stem cell (ESC) is the last great hope of Parkinson treatment either as there are many options being explored in the treatment of PD. This highlighting of ESC is really a political game IMO.
Back to subject at hand. Did Rush cross the line? From what I have heard about the episode in question, if not across, he must have been right there on it.
OTOH, to amplify the "sympathy factor" by halting his medications, Fox is being disingenous as he is suggesting he lives that way every day (which we know is untrue). It exemplifies the ridiculous way some decisions are made in this country. Another example of which is the fact is the payment schedule for dialysis. A senator had his wife dialyzed in the middle of the senate and asked them how the treatment could be refused. Bam, the first completely covered medical procedure (many others were/are only partially paid for).
What should be happening in this debate is that a bunch of ethicists should address the issue of embryos, are they property (as the law would currently suggest), do they have some innate "life" that would lead to the acceptance of human experimentation, or the barter/trade of parts (eggs, sperm, and embryos) which might further lead to selling other parts eg/kidneys etc. I could give you a number of corollary scenarios that this might produce. This really is a slippery slope which I'm not sure that all the folks that support ESC research really "get". Then the scientists should discuss what if any benefits can be obtained from ESC (or any technology) that can't be obtained anywhere else. This won't happen of course.