the Centrist

One of the human characteristics most upsetting to me is dis-ingeniousness. You see ignorance can be cured, you merely have to win the argument by presenting facts, but when one is disingenuous, he/she is purposefully misleading … more times than not … for her/his personal gain. That is why it is an understatement to say that I am disappointed in Senate Majority Leader and heart surgeon Bill Frist’s flip-flop on embryonic stem cell research. You see as a ‘man of science’ I held him in high esteem because, amongst other characteristics, he has been a common sense no nonsense leader … until now. As an M.D. most will look at this change on embryonic stem cell research as intelligent, informed, and even erudite … rather than a political response to New York’s Gov. Pataki declaring for the 2008 Presidential race. Pataki is pro-choice and apparently this is Frist’s attempt at trying to appease the liberal portion of his party. Frist is certainly aware that President Bush is the only President who has allowed federal funds to be used for embryonic research in lines already in play at the time of his inauguration. In addition these cells are readily replicated (reproduced) and there are enough cells available for the foreseeable future without the sacrifice of any other embryos.
As a disclosure I am pro-life and would be against this bill as matter of principal. The pre-born stage of life is scientifically just that … a stage of life, every bit as necessary to the individual as any other stage, yet one in which that individual cannot be seen or heard. But that is not why most scientists agree with my stance. Most scientists oppose this aspect of stem cell research, not from a pro-life stance, but from a pro-health stance. Embryonic stem cells are simply not successful … and potentially very harmful to the recipient. All of the breakthroughs have been with adult stem cells. At conception the individual is given her/his individual genetic code (DNA). That is all the DNA they will require for a lifetime. In that code is their unique pattern for life. Thus, the reason for the great success of adult stem cells is that they have no rejection issues. It is as simple as this: if it comes from a different person it has different DNA … and like it or not, scientifically, genetically, and spiritually an embryo is a different human individual. On the other hand, embryonic stem cell transplants are … transplants … no different that a liver or heart transplant, and with all the inherent problems of genetic rejection.
Moreover, embryonic stem cells are so young they have yet to ‘differentiate’ … declare exactly what type of tissue they will produce. That is their strength and their weakness. Their strength is that they have not differentiated into liver, brain, etc. so that they can potentially be used to regenerate healthy tissue in any and all organs. On the other hand, adult stem cells are already differentiated into specific organ systems and as such they must be used on their ‘organ of origin’. Furthermore, at this time adult stem cells have not been isolated from all organs.
Although the embryonic cells have great potential because they are undifferentiated … they present yet another serious problem (other than genetic rejection). There has been a persistent nasty problem with malignant tumors associated with these undifferentiated stem cells in all animal models. The major problem from these cells occurs because of their youth … which is paradoxically their potential strength! These predictable tumors are referred to as … ‘downline tumors’. So embryonic stem cells have two real problems yet to be overcome … rejection and downline tumors … and all in science are well aware of these limitations. This is the main reason that biogenic companies are not investing in this aspect of stem cell research.
A more rational bill would be to use federal funds to pursue an umbilical cord stem cell bank. Stem cells are plentiful in every new born umbilical cord. Umbilical cords are routinely throw away in the United States. If every birth in America were required to save the umbilical cord those stem cells could be used for potential disease cures at a later date.
It is no secret that many in the media and the Senate simply do not understand the facts … but Frist does. Then, you ask, why would a ‘man of integrity’ flipflop when his expertise is so important to the issue? Simple … a man of integrity … wouldn’t.