Stem Cell Reality Check
A big confab of Big Biotech bigwigs has resulted in some candor and a proper warning about the prospect of CURES! CURES! CURES! From the story:
In an elegant hotel overlooking the Pacific Ocean, more than 30 of the world's leading stem cell researchers gathered on Wednesday to strategize on the most effective means of developing novel stem cell medical treatments, while keeping public expectations in line with the actual state of scientific research..."One has to be realistic. Cures take a very, very long time," [Dr. George] Daley said.Too bad realism and accuracy weren't a high priority during the Proposition 71 campaign, and still isn't for the Amendment 2/Stowers propagandists in Missouri. That has led to a backlash, I think. Slowly, it may be dawning on the public that they were had.
This warning against medical tourism, however, is very apt and important:
"One has to be very suspicious if a patient is asked to fly to a distant location and pay tens of thousands of dollars (for treatment). This is an invitation for exploitation." These unproven treatments, dozens of which are offered online, could also pose medical hazards, Daley said.Supposedly, the organization will create new guidelines:
The panelists devoted much of their discussion to guidelines the International Society for Stem Cell Research will issue later this year for identifying or developing credible stem cell research initiatives.I can hardly wait. As I wrote in the Weekly Standard, the last time the Society issued "ethical" guidelines, it approved creating embryos for use in research--both natural and cloned--and opened the door so wide to Brave New World, there were few restrictions with any teeth.
"The guidelines are not to prevent the development of stem cell therapy," Lindvall added. "They're actually to help and guide those that are working in a serious way."
Labels: Stem Cell Reality Check
posted by Wesley J. Smith @ 10:00 AM
4 Comments
4 Comments:
Wesley,
Stem Cell Treatment is one the most desire and lost hopes at this time for idividuals with severe brain damage.
You might find this interesting:
http://chrisbarnes.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2008/3/19/3590382.html
Please pray for Chris's continued recovery.
"Too bad realism and accuracy weren't a high priority during the Proposition 71 campaign, and still isn't for the Amendment 2/Stowers propagandists in Missouri."
hmmm, I fail to remember the Amendment 2 people saying that there would be quick and easy cures as you suggest...I think this is more bogus assertion by you Wesley.
I do remember them saying that research for diseases that can be cured take many years to perfect so they needed to get started as soon as possible without people like you impeding them. These scientists are resposible people for the most part. They dont go about espousing false data and claims like some other propaganda I see on a regular basis.
But here is your chance to show me wrong. Can you provide any of this Stowers Propaganda you claim, or is this vapor you speak in?
dark swan: No problemo, amigo. This is a quote I published from Bill Neaves in a Feb 17, 08 entry:
"Stem cell research in general has progressed rapidly over the past year across the nation," Neaves said. Embryonic stem cell work in Dallas last month resulted in treating muscular dystrophy in mice successfully. "The rapid pace of advances in embryonic stem cell research means that day when this science can be translated into cures is drawing near," Neaves said."
Only if a decade or more is near, DS. Neaves is the head propagandist of the Stowers crowd. Guilty as charged.
Dark Swan, where were you hiding out the last 4 years? Maybe you aren't involved in advocacy and campaigns and in the middle of it like some of us. Your guys were promising cures. John Kerry/Edwards were promising miraculous cures and others were saying that WE were killing the hopes of millions just this last year. They were doing good until that induced pluripotent stem cell train ran them over. They were trying to paint us as anti-science and anti-patient. My senator Harry Reid is the biggest trash talker on this and that's why he has a giant foot in his mouth. We are not going to let them forget all the trash talking.
ESCR scientists were hyping their PR until Bush vetoed the first bill to overturn his policy. I suspect it suddenly occured to these scientists that they might get what they want and they'd have to start producing something and they started "walking back" as Wesley said, expectations. "Well, we probably won't have cures any time soon if ever, or something else will beat us to it, but we'll get other benefits like tissues for testing pharamcuetical and understanding disease." They not only puffed the goods so far as to be on the verge of lying and were preying on the hopes of sufferers for votes-i.e. political power, they did it at the expense of our reputations-we don't care, we are Luddites and etc. Don't think we are going to forget it.
There is false data out there, but don't make a general statement and lump the garbage into the stuff that is really working and showing promise, like umbilical cord blood, adult stem cells and etc. Those are real and don't lump them with the fraudulent garbage or you will be the same kind of con man or woman as the guys on the Cures for CA campaign who tried to make it look like ESCR and Cloning were actually producing cures/successes/treatments by conflating the results with those from non embryonic stem cell research under the general term "stem cell research." That was fraudulent and so would be any attempt to try to conflate the phony stuff out there with the successful and promising non-embryonic stem cell research.
Like they say in sports radio, "Scoreboard." 73 or 74 to zero. Who can keep count anymore? That ain't propoganda. Something may come of ESCR and Cloning if we spend enough money on it, but the scoreboard is zero, zip, nilch, nada.
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