Democrats Junk Science on Stem Cells

Mary Davenport, MD (an obstetrician and gynecologist, and a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology), via RCP, "The Unconscionable Claims of Michael J. Fox:

Mr. Fox and his ads' sponsors are guilty of conflating embryonic stem cell research, which the GOP candidates and many Americans oppose for destroying a human life in the name of curing other people's diseases, with stem cell research in general, which includes adult stem cell research and umbilical cord blood stem cell research.....

Flim-flam is a charitable description. Why would federally-funded research be more promising than state- and privately-funded research? And on what possible basis can the claim be made that embryonic stem cell research is more promising than adult stem cell research?

The plain fact is that embryonic stem cell research is proving to be a bust. There are currently 72 therapies showing human benefits using adult stem cells and zero using embryonic stem cells. Scientifically-minded readers can review this medical journal article on the status of adult stem cell research. Adult stem cell therapies are already being advertised and promoted while no such treatments are even remotely in prospect for embryonic stem cell research.

The fact is that adult stem cells have already produced remarkable cures, whereas embryonic stem cells have failed. This should come as no great surprise to anyone with a background in high school biology.

So Democrats, who claim Republicans are anti-science, are the ones who are spreading ignorance and confusion, and shamefully demagoguing this issue. They hold out false hope for many of our most vulnerable, and smear those who make honest and important ethical distinctions to protect fragile and innocent human life.

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