Superior Stem Cells Shunned By Media

by Michael Fumento - February 8th, 2007 - CBS News (Web Site)

While the Democratic-controlled House voted 253-174 to expand federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research, it fell far short of the 290 votes needed to override a virtually guaranteed presidential veto. A tragedy for victims of everything from Alzheimer's to warts? Not at all. Each year there are stunning breakthroughs with adult stem cells, and 2007 has already brought its first.

Adult stem cells cure and treat more than 70 diseases and are involved in almost 1,300 human clinical trials. Scientists also keep discovering that adult stem cells are capable of creating a wider variety of mature cells.

This debate is typical of so many debates in our current culture of liberal biased media, what I call the MSM (for Main Stream Media) as regular readers are aware. Those on the left who are supporters of abortion are determined that any dicussion of stem cells must be a discussion about the need to do research on embryonic stem-cells. If you are opposed to embryonic research, you are a stupid, bigoted right wing racist who cannot think and are the equivalent of a holocaust denier. (Of course racism and nazism are always inserted into this conversation as anyone knows you cannot possibly disagree with a liberal and not be both!)

I believe that moving research forward intelligently is the most important issue for mankind, and duplicitous arguments based on bias are harmful to people. The real question is whether concatenating these two debates helps society or hurts it. There is also a question of what is and what is not true.

The following appears to be solidly proved:

Scientifically, all embryonic stem cells tend to become cancerous; they require permanent, dangerous, immunosuppressive drugs because the body rejects them as foreign; and they are difficult to differentiate into the needed type of mature cells. Non-embryonic stem cells, however, do not become cancerous; they are far less likely to cause rejection (especially the youngest, including umbilical cord and amniotic/placenta); and they have been used therapeutically since the late 1950s (originally for leukemia) because they have the amazing ability to form the right type of mature cell merely upon being injected into a body that needs that type of cell.

The logical argument of this article includes strong condemnation of some of the news media that is covering up the reality about stem cells because of their bias about abortion. I highly recommend the article to those who want a more honest dicsussion to emerge on both issues.