[raybbr]

I thought this was an ethical decision on your part? Cannibalism, according to your definition, means using parts of one human on another. Blood and organs, whether the person donates, falls under your definition. I am all for stem cell research. Of all kinds. Why not? We have no idea what they could be used for until we try.

An unborn fetus, whether through abortion or miscarriage provides those cells and I think we should use them. I don't see your distinction between organs and stem cells. If you are opposed to one on ethical grounds you must be opposed to the other. Your excuses don't fly with me.

[Theo]

I want your stem cells. I have a right to them, even if it kills you, since it will help me.

[hopespringseternal]

I don't see your distinction between organs and stem cells.

I know someone I like better than you who needs your heart, so we're coming to get it.

THAT is the difference.

[MHGinTN]

Still no soup for you. But it was a nice try on your part.

[hocndoc]

Embryonic stem cells are not obtained by harvesting the products of an abortion. They are obtained from embryos that are the result of IVF or Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer and other cloning methods.

In the case of humans, the embryos must be at least at the 5 day or 250 cell stage in order to harvest sufficiently differentiated cells. Otherwise, the potential is twinning rather than stem cell lines.
http://www.healthnewsdigest.com/news/hlth_stemcell-17.html
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,167245,00.html

(Really, there's so much information available from Google, this site and Medline that there is no excuse for posting when you're so poorly informed.)

[agrace]

Cannibalism, according to your definition, means using parts of one human on another.

No, his definition includes KILLING one human to use his or her body parts on another.

We have no idea what they could be used for until we try.

But scientists are learning what they CAN'T be used for and that, my friend, is the point.

An unborn fetus, whether through abortion or miscarriage provides those cells and I think we should use them.

First of all, there have been no restrictions on private funding of embryonic stem cell research, only federal funding. Yet private donors don't seem to be rushing to give their money away - why do you think that is? Hint - see above statement about what scientists are learning.

Secondly, think about this - how will we ever reduce the number of abortions in this country if the organizations providing them have the carrot of additional federal funding for collecting tissue in the name of scientific research?