Funny how the same people who don’t want a mosque in New York because, among other things, they are afraid of Muslim Sharia law eventually being enacted here have no problem imposing their religion-based laws on us.
A U.S. district judge on Monday blocked the federal government from funding all research involving human embryonic stem cells on the grounds that it violates a 1996 law intended to prevent the destruction of of human embryos.
The ruling came in the form of a preliminary injunction in a case involving two scientists who challenged the Obama administration’s stem cell funding policy, which was designed to expand federal support for the controversial research.
Embryonic stem cell researchers said the decision would throw the field into turmoil.
“The long-term practical impact is a massive halt to most embryonic stem cell research in the U.S.” said Dr. Irving Weissman, director of the Stanford Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine.
[…]
The scientists who challenged the guidelines argued that Dickey-Wicker also forbids the use of federal funds for any subsequent research on those stem cells, even if the embryos they came from had been destroyed years before.
[…]
Advanced Cell Technology Inc. is using the cells to grow retinal pigment epithelium cells that restored vision in rats and mice with a rare childhood disease called Stargardt’s macular dystrophy. […] “This is criminal,” Lanza said. “We are talking about people going blind, people who are dying from a terrifying array of diseases.”
Wouldn’t it make sense for the people who now won’t be helped by this research be taken care of financially and otherwise by those who oppose this research?
Alfred, you are as wacko as ever. I don’t support the mosque. I don’t oppose it. I don’t live there so it doesn’t matter to me. And this article isn’t about that. It’s about religion-based lawmaking.
“won’t be helped” should be corrected.
AP would be the first in line for stem cells if he, or anyone he owns, needs them.
Sounds like a Supreme Court setup case.
Man, I’m so glad I don’t live in a country where religion fucks everything up as much as it does in the USA.
Uncle Dave, Left of Obama,
The debate about stem cells is about MORALITY, not religion….
Myself, I don’t have a dog in this hunt. I really don’t care what women do to themselves or their children. Kill ’em now, kill ’em later. I really don’t care.
In Africa, on Henry Morton Stanley’s last trek through Africa at the end of the 19th Century, one of his expedition members witnessed several tribe members take a member of their own tribe, a healthy ten year old girl, and kill her with three quick stabs in her chest. Then there was a rush of tribesmen and women to dismember, wash the pieces in the stream, and cook ’em up.
The morality of these Africans permitted it as just part of their life, so they could survive. To hell with the girl.
This had nothing to do with religion, it was what they decided was perfectly acceptable.
Same as you and embryos, I guess.
Science says an embryo is human and alive,
but somebody says just because you are human and alive, you do not have personhood inside the womb
#5 In other countries you have your governments fucking you up. In the Stares we get the double whammy! Yay!
#7
Links to such a scientific study that claims an embryo is a human.
Cursor_
Still Right,
So if we killed 200,000-300,000 Iraqi Children, Women, and Men for no apparent reason, except maybe oil, that would be okay with you (because they are just dirty Arabs)?
I think stem cell research is so much more important then for example cloning. Yet I see nobody in religious groups really trying to stop that.
It seems the more religious you are the more narrow minded you are.
I think life must be lived on a much more open level. Realize the positives from Stem cell research.
As far as the mosque goes. I know Obama is right that this is a free Country and the Muslims have that right just as Christians to build a religious temple where they want.
But sometimes you need to acknowledge that it may be better not to hurt others who disagree.
http://cbsnews.com/stories/2010/08/02/health/main6735628.shtml
Adult stem cells are being used and yielding the same results, so how about we stop with the embryonic crap (destroying life) and work with the adult stem cells? Sounds good to me
# 7 sober said,”Science says an embryo is human and alive…”
A dead chicken embryo is neither human nor alive. It’s breakfast. I’m pretty sure “science” would agree.
As for the post, quite misquoting, please. The headline says the judge stopped research. BS. The judge stopped Federal FUNDING of research.
What’s wrong with that? There are huge profits to be made here so let the VCs take the risk – not taxpayers. Especially since some taxpayers have moral objections to the source of the stem cells. (In general, I believe those objections would disappear if the taxpayers in question needed the treatment – but that’s another blog post.)
Besides, ’embryonic’ stem cells are becoming less and less necessary to the research with each passing day. Before long, we’ll be able to flip ordinary cells into stem cells almost like a light switch.
Adult stem cell research has led to many breakthroughs. Embryonic stem cells create massive tumors and have not helped a single person. Remember that a majority of Americans are pro-life. If you love democracy as much as you do, (personally, I love republics more), then you should be happy to see the will of the people in law.
So many different ways this thread could go.
#6–stillborn (how appropriate!)==the only people who want to interfere with a mothers right to kill her embryo’s/fetuses are religious single issue groups. Most of those groups say that religion is the source of all morality. I agree with you that morality predates and supersedes religion which is how we can tell parts of the bible are wrong.
#9–cursor==if fertilized eggs aren’t alive and human then what are they? I can guess at your target but its too easy to find the rationale that supports sober’s statement. Use your intellect to make a point that is worth making?
So, the “real” debate is not the morality of various position but rather who’s morality gets to control.
Likewise, the “real” debate is not about the personhood of the Products of Conception but rather at what stage of development does the embryo/fetus/child/adult gain what rights?
Let the miscommunication and ignorance continue:
“Wouldn’t it make sense for the people who now won’t be helped by this research be taken care of financially and otherwise by those who oppose this research?” – Ummm, Uncle Dave, where do you think SSI, SSD and MA funds come from?
Well, as has already been pointed out, Uncle Dave is link baiting again…
In the US, the only thing that is banned or re-banned is the government funding of embryonic stem cell research…
And now onto the disingenuous parts of the Pro ESR peoples arguments….
ESR has not provided one single breakthrough. PERIOD. It is not at all as if there has been no or extremely limited research…
Adult stem cell research on the other hand, has had MANY breakthroughs and the count of things that are either in clinical trials or now fully treating people successfully is in excess of 70.
So morality be damned. You tell ME where the money is being better spent…
Money is better spent on creating real jobs, not this fantasy stem cells crap. They spend a billion dollars on research and all you get is scientific reports which are worthless. We have countless foreclosures sitting wasting and homeless being shoved and dumped on instead of being housed, and we give all our money to these scientists who don’t even have to deliver a working product. Correction, we don’t give the money, greedy your politicians do.
#19–Jason==whats your point? What is the time frame in which “unproductive” research should be terminated?
Should Edison have stopped after testing 500 materials for filaments?
In most cases of scientific inquiry not interfered with by religious zealots, research continues until it is determined to lead to a dead end or is superseded by better cheaper ways to get the assumed benefits.
Your silly argument is on par with “evolution can’t fill in the gaps in the fossil record.” And every year, the gaps are indeed filled in. Almost makes me want to wonder at the banana and its perfect god given design. Ha. Ha.
venture capital dumped this crap long ago
The scientific community that work in these fields, as a whole, believe that embryonic stem cell research is needed right now. That may change in the future, as alternatives are being work on, but right now its the best option. Therefore I support it.
See how easy this argument becomes when you stop listening to people who have no scientific background in the field of study and start listening to the experts?
Of course, I fully expect to see some cherry picked articles that disagree with my above statements by people who have no idea what “scientific community as a whole” means. Got to love this blog’s readership sometimes.
Oh and those of you that keep pointing out that the only thing that has been banned is funding by the US Government, well yeah. That’s a BIG deal. Do you have any idea how important that funding really is to the research being done? Why do you think people are fighting to keep that money flowing?
Well, I think stem cell research is so much more important then for example cloning. Yet I see nobody in religious groups really trying to stop that.
Wow, it is just great to see Uncle Dave getting his clock cleaned over his outrageous comment that this “It’s about religion-based lawmaking.”
Hey Dave, care to be a bit more specific? What religion are you hinting at? Come on man, stop dancing around the issue and tell us the name of religious sect that drove this decision.
And I am sure you will be able to prove your position by citing the religion that is mentioned in the law too.
Cue the Jeopardy music.
Cue the crickets chirping.
Well?
#25–Susan==and why do you think that is?
#26 the religious right has been fighting stem cell research for a while. This is typically a group comprised of Christians, but is not indicative of all Christians and their beliefs. Does that answer your question?
#26–JB==what are you brain dead???? The right to life/every sperm is sacred strains in catholic and protestant religions is very evident and still vocal–still killing abortion doctors to save life.
This group of single issue voting fanatics is pandered to by the Puke Party and lied to constantly by the likes of BushtheRetard and the Puke Party. Removal of federal funding is about the only thing the puke party finally gave to this group of zealots.
Use your brain for something other than a door stop.
Ahh..a modern day complaint with the Inquisition against science. I was imprisoned by the wackos in my day to suggest the Earth has an annual motion around the Sun.
Lacking a pope or Vatican, the resourceful religious wackos will always find a proxy element to drive their morality into society.
@JMRouse #23 totally agree!
Call the wambulance. The government won’t give me any money to fund a project that will yield me millions if completed. I guess I have to get private funding and share my massive profits from my blindness cure with investors.
No one is entitled to government funding. The headline is bunk. Anyone is free to fund it except for the government. If you believe in this embryonic stem cell research, then put up your own money for research. You should make a hefty profit if these scientists are right.
Benji–the point being raised is not your wambulance cry for LIEberTARDian release from taxation.
No, its about USA losing its premiere status in leading edge scientific research/findings/techniques/starting whole new industries because our politics is fouled by anti-science religious influence. Thats why evolution hardly gets a mention in a biology book for Christ’s Sake and for years now the Feds won’t fund basic research in an entirely new approach to disease.
We will survive. But we coulda been a contender!