Harvard Starts Its Own Controversial Cell Batch (Pro-Life Alert!)

Yahoo! News (Reuters) ^ | 3/3/2004 | Maggie Fox

[Pyro7480]

Harvard Starts Its Own Controversial Cell Batch

By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Correspondent

Scientists at Harvard University announced on Wednesday they had created 17 batches of stem cells from human embryos, in defiance of attempts by President Bush to limit such research.

Bush has forbidden the use of federal funds to manipulate human embryos and limited scientific research to a few existing batches of cells taken from fertility clinic leftovers.

But scientists have complained this limits a promising field of biological research and medicine based on the potential of the cells, which theoretically can be directed to form any tissue in the body.

Dr. Douglas Melton, a stem cell researcher at Harvard Medical School (news - web sites) and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, said he and colleagues had used private, legal funding to make 17 batches of the cells, and made them available free of charge.

"What we have done is to make use of previously frozen human fertilized eggs that otherwise were going to be discarded," Melton told reporters in a telephone briefing.

His team's achievement, announced ahead of publication by the New England Journal of Medicine (news - web sites), doubles the number of stem cell batches or "lines" that are available to researchers who also have access to private funds to work with them -- or who are based outside of the United States.

Melton said a variety of cells is needed so that scientists can study them. Although the potential is there to grow new tissues and even organs to treat diseases such as Parkinson's Alzheimer's or cancer, no one quite understands how to do it yet.

NOT ENOUGH CELLS AVAILABLE

"These cells do represent a rich source of material that could be used for transplantation. But to do that we have to learn how to control them, to tell them what to do," he said.

"In my case we want them only to become pancreatic beta cells that make insulin," said Melton, who is seeking a cure for his two children with type-1 diabetes, a disease that affects as many as 2 million Americans.

"I was not convinced that there was sufficient number or sufficient quality of cells available to us to do our research," Melton said.

Stem cells are a kind of master cell that have the potential to grow into various tissues. Taken from embryos, this power to differentiate into various cell types is unlimited.

They also appear not to cause potentially deadly transplant responses such as rejection.

"Embryonic stem cells are unusual in being much less immunogenic than other cell types," Melton said. "It will be interesting to learn why."

But opponents, led by Bush, some members of the U.S. Congress and some religious and anti-abortion groups, say any use of a human embryo, however tiny, amounts to murder and is unethical.

They are pushing for legislation that would outlaw it completely and in the meantime Bush has restricted the use of federal funds -- the largest source of scientific research money -- to work with embryos.

Bush argued that stem cell lines that existed when he announced the ban in August 2001 would be sufficient.

But in a letter to Bush yesterday, Democratic U.S. Reps. Henry Waxman of California and Louise Slaughter of New York quoted National Institutes of Health (news - web sites) researchers as saying that was not true.

"We have now learned that such statements misinformed the public," said the letter, a copy of which was sent to Reuters.

[Pyro7480]

Throw the book at them!

[Pyro7480]

Ping!

[American_Centurion]

At who? They used private funds to do it.

Nothing that can be done about it.

[dmz]

If I read this correctly, they have not violated the law (no use of federal funds), so what will you throw the book at them for?

[Rutles4Ever]

The rule of law is dying. Anarchy was once unthinkable. We're going over the waterfall now.

[Rutles4Ever]

I guess you are correct...

[PaxMacian]

Jeremiah 1:5
Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

Psalm 139:13
For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
14 :I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
15 :My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 :Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

Galatians 1:15
But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,…

Isaiah 49:1 :
Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.

Matthew 18:5
And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

Deuteronomy 30:19
"I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and
death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live."

Proverbs 6:16 There are six things which the LORD hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood

Exodus 20:13
Thou shalt not kill.

[NYer]

Scientists at Harvard University announced on Wednesday they had created 17 batches of stem cells from human embryos, in defiance of attempts by President Bush to limit such research.

Well .... it seems that DEFIANCE is alive and well and thriving at Harvard!

“Though it is true that sometimes it is lawful to tolerate a lesser moral evil in order to avoid a greater evil or in order to promote a greater good," it is never lawful, even for the gravest reasons, to do evil that good may come of it (18)—in other words, to intend directly something which of its very nature contradicts the moral order, and which must therefore be judged unworthy of man, even though the intention is to protect or promote the welfare of an individual, of a family or of society in general.”
HUMANAE VITAE

Vatican document - Instruction on Respect for Human Life in Its Origin and on the Dignity of Procreation.
DONUM VITAE

Catholic Ping - let me know if you want on/off this list

[grellis]

I am no scientist but I do remember reading that stem cells taken from a postnatal placenta can just as easily be used. If this is true--again, I am no scientist--why isn't it being done? The birthed placentas just become medical waste if there is no use for it.

[grellis]

On the list, pretty please.

[GladesGuru]

"Throw the book at them" Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!

Don't you remember the last time the Feds tried that? McNamara threatened to pull Federal funding if Harvaard did something he didn't like (probably toss ROTC off campus).

The President of Harvard simply suggested that the Secretary check Harvard's endowment and call him the next day. End of argument.

For an example, Harvard Medical School has the highest tuition of any medical school and needs it not at all. The endowment is so large that if med school tuition was given away free, the only impact on the school would be that the endowment would grow at a slower rate.

When one's institution has been in exixtance longer than the American government, one tends to acquire significant amounts of property, and other assets. Not to mention a library accurately described as The Library.

Back when Mom was on graduate faculty at BU, I remember walking around Cambridge and being aware that of all buildings worth having, probably half had passed into the hands of Harvard over the centuries.

I mention this bit of history because academic freedom shopuld not be subjected to the winds of political elections.

While I am growing more certain that President Bush will be seen as one of America's better Presidents, there is no doubt that his stand on stem cell research is a major error.

To stand in the way of an evolving science is akin to taking a broom to the incoming tide. Even worse, it takes America out of what may be a critically important area of research and profits.

[GladesGuru]

Oops! "shopuld" should have read "should". The spell checker is our friend.

[John Beresford Tipton]

"Throw the book at them!"

Might as well, Luddites have no use for books.

[John Beresford Tipton]

"so what will you throw the book at them for?"

Because he doesn't get good distance when he throws a hissy fit?