Posted on 10/25/2006 7:05:56 AM PDT by veronica
The popular and appealing actor Michael J. Fox has taken to the airwaves in Senate battleground states Missouri, Maryland, and New Jersey with a highly misleading ad urging defeat of Republican Senatorial candidates opposing the use of taxpayer dollars to fund new embryonic stem cell line research. He states,
“Stem cell research offers hope to millions of Americans with diseases like diabetes, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s…. But George Bush and Michael Steele would put limits on the most promising stem cell research.”
Mr. Fox and his ads’ sponsors are guilty of conflating embryonic stem cell research, which the GOP candidates and many Americans oppose for destroying a human life in the name of curing other people’s diseases, with stem cell research in general, which includes adult stem cell research and umbilical cord blood stem cell research.
The only limits in question are on federal funding of new embryonic stem cell lines, requiring the sacrifice of new embryos. Private and state-funded research (California voters are spending six billion dollars borrowing money to fund this) is ongoing. The implicit claim that research based on new embryos is “the most promising” is absurd, completely unsupported by the scientific literature, and an insult to voters, based as it is on the assumption that they are incapable of understanding the issue. Too stupid to tell the difference, is the elitist assumption underlying this campaign.
Flim-flam is a charitable description. Why would federally-funded research be more promising than state- and privately-funded research? And on what possible basis can the claim be made that embryonic stem cell research is more promising than adult stem cell research?
The plain fact is that embryonic stem cell research is proving to be a bust. There are currently 72 therapies showing human benefits using adult stem cells and zero using embryonic stem cells. Scientifically-minded readers can review this medical journal article on the status of adult stem cell research. while no such treatments are even remotely in prospect for embryonic stem cell research.
The fact is that adult stem cells have already produced remarkable cures, whereas embryonic stem cells have failed. This should come as no great surprise to anyone with a background in high school biology. When an embryo is created by the union of the sperm and egg, the cells begin to divide, creating embryonic stem cells from which all future tissues and organs are derived. Within days, the embryonic cells differentiate into three cell layers – ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm. Cells in these layers continue to differentiate into tissues and organs. As the embryo matures into a fetus, child, and adult, some undifferentiated cells of the three types remain in various tissues such as bone marrow, fat, skin and olfactory tissue.
These adult stem cells are multipotent: they have the ability to turn into a variety of types of tissues. Successful stem cell therapies cause the DNA in the adult stem cells to further differentiate into more specific types of cells. There is no point in getting the adult stem cell to turn into a less differentiated type of cell, or using the more primitive embryonic stem cells. This would be going backward, in the opposite direction of providing a clinically useful therapy. Difficulties abound with proposed embryonic stem cell therapies. The growth of the more primitive embryonic stem cells is more difficult to control and leads to tumor formation. Recent research suggests brain tumors may result. Additionally, the use of embryonic tissue foreign to the patient can potentially lead to problems with immune rejection of tissue, a problem not encountered in using a patient’s own adult stem cells.
America is the most formidable medical research center in the world, but it is far from alone in pursuing the potential of adult stem cells. The worldwide effort is impressive and growing. For non-adult stem cell research, a morally unquestionable alternative source exists: stem cells drawn from umbilical cord blood. Already a bank exists in Dubai collecting cord blood stem cells.
In short, the claims made in the Michael J. Fox political ads are false and reprehensible, an insult to the voters of Maryland, Missouri and New Jersey, and to all Americans.
Mary L. Davenport, MD is an obstetrician and gynecologist, and a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Here's an excerpt:
The progress of science is paved with stories of high hopes and heartbreaks. But in a busy lab at the University of Rochester the two extremes have met in one dazzling yet devastating experiment.
Researchers there have for the first time essentially cured rats of a Parkinson's-like disease using human embryonic stem cells. But 10 weeks into the trial, they discovered brain tumours had begun to grow in every animal treated...
Could it be another rope-a-dope the dems are playing? They have to know ESC produces no cures so that leaves the not talked about objective. If they can get Gov't funding of other stem cell research, ESC will only have been the vehicle to get there. Just what I'm thinking.
Stem Cell away..just not with Federal funds...
Exactly right!
MJF is either lying or he has been duped by the Democrats. Either way, I have lost a hell of a lot of respect for him.
Great article. I am a molecular cell biologist and agree completely. Also, why are people not more cynical about we scientists. Scientists live on grant money. They want that as much as Exxon wants profits. If federal funding is given to embryonic stem cells, they get more money. Yet people fall all over themselves believing any hype they hear. In truth, adult stem cells are working right now for the diseases that Fox is talking about in that ad, except for Alzheimer's which is NOT a disease that is amenable to stem cell therapy of any type. Embryonic stem cells just make tumors in mice so far. They might prove useful or might not someday. But that day is over a decade away. I resent that the scientific facts do not get out about this topic.
All too often, emotions trump reason in any debate.
MJF would rip the fetus from the womb and suck it dry if it "might" cure his Parkinson's. One a day? No problem.
BTTT
..... claims made in the Michael J. Fox political ads are false and reprehensible.....
CTV a major Canadian news network got into the fray yesterday evening. Urbane, polite icon, Lloyd Robertson intoned quite fairly- I might add, about the controversy.
Some footage was shown of Michael Fox previously. Now there was one showing I did not see on the American networks. Maybe they have shown that segment though. Mr Fox had a completely rigid body facing the camera. He was doing a sort of wide sweep with his legs. Backwards and forwards.
Incredible. All that needs to be done is for someone to kindly and I mean kindly, ask Mr Fox, whether he was acting and deliberately exaggerating. I, for one would then give him a pass, should he honestly answer.
That's right, if only John Kerry would have been elected Christopher Reeves would be walking today and so would his wife....
The ad is another typical Dem lie. Michael J Fox is an idiot for letting himself be used so.
They always get 'the right to say what he wants' confused with immunity from criticism and rebuttal.
I'm glad Michael J Fox did this ad. I hope there is plenty of controversy from his ad. Praying it educates enough people, naive to the real facts, to vote no.
Dr. Mary Davenport -----"Why would federally-funded research be more promising than state and privately-funded research?" To me, this is the political crux of the embryonic research controversy. The liberals are awash in money, such as the billions that Warren Buffet gave to Bill Gates to play with, and the Soros billions that are used to buy elections for the RATS. It would take just a fraction of the money that either of these socialists routinely spend for RAT causes to fund the embryo research that the RATS want our government/taxpayers to fund. Therefore, the lies that are being spread by such as Michael J. Fox to promote taxpayer funded research is for a purpose that is beneath the surface of what is being claimed. That purpose would most likely be to create an unending bureauracy that could be used for research and development of other liberal projects that the public would not be informed about. Michael Fox is no different from any other liberal who uses celebrity and to promote their pet cause without regard to the whole truth. I have no pity for him, not that he needs it. I am glad that the Republicans are fighting back, with Rush leading the way.
Apparently Michael Fox does, but Sean doesn't!!
Reprehensible Michael J. Fox
Went on tour for the Democrat blocs
Like a one-man Spin-City
Or a young Walter Mitty
He lies from his on-air soap box.
I imagine that gifted media types could turn this doctor's short article into a devastating counter-attack against Michael Fox's campaign ads.
Michael, the newest neoliberal saint/martyr (pawn). Bye, Cindy.
According to Rush, MJF in his book says that before testifying before Congress (and one assumes making this kind of ad), he deliberately omits his medication so that his symptoms appear in their fullness.
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