Now, Cloning Was Never A "Realistic" Therapy?
The international media continues its effort to minimize the Hwang scandal. Whereas before, we were told therapeutic cloning was going to make embryonic stem cell therapy (the most "promising" stem cell form, they tell us in every story despite the utter lack of scientific proof) doable because it would prevent immune rejection: We are now being told in several stories that it was never a realistic likelihood to be used widely in the clinical settings. Yet, when opponents used to say the same thing, we were branded anti-science and stealers of hope.
Also notice that there have been almost no comments in Hwang stories from opponents of cloning research. The purpose of this, it seems to me, is to keep the parameters of the story relatively narrow and permit continuing boosterism of ES cell research as a central focus of attention in the public's mind despite the continuing cascade of adult/umbilical cord blood stem cell research successes.
posted by Wesley J. Smith @ 6:52 AM
3 Comments
3 Comments:
Guess we missed the memo changing the talking points on ESC.
However when I did attend a seminar at City of Hope of Prop 71 figures in early December when Hwang's scandal was just breaking, perhaps one could tell in retrospect they were beginning to change their story.
(I emailed my summary at the time to you and to Ms. Lahl at CBC)
1) They stated that cures with ESC were years off, which I've heard before but emphasized 5 or 10 years or more!
2) City of Hope (Cancer Research hospital Duarte, CA) was putting together a team for the Prop 71 funding but most of the researchers highlighted were already doing adult stem cell research. The question is, are they diverting resources from ASC to ESC or will they request Prop 71 grants FOR ASC
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ONE more thought - the ALTERNATIVE reason given at City of Hope seminar for ESC research were "disease modeling" and "drug research". It seems to me to model a disease or use experimental drugs you would need more than just cells, you would need to develop functioning organs. Wouldn't that take us well beyond the ESC into fetal farming?
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Morality aside, I do worry that the tons of $ that could be given to ESCR/cloning will distort the natural trajectory of the research. Of course, the pro ESCR people will say that Bush's policy has distorted it in the other direction. But the difference is that there are no ethical controversies surrounding ASC research. Thanks for contributing.
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