The Neolib Attack on Adult Stem Cells [Michael Fumento]

Michael Fumento ^ | 11.11.04 | Michael Fumento

[Coleus]

The Neolib Attack on Adult Stem Cells

By Michael Fumento

 November 11, 2004

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The only beneficiaries of ESC therapy to date have been these guys, and precious few at that.

Among the magazines even die-hard right-wingers should sometimes read are the neo-liberal ones The New Republic and the Washington Monthly. They often contain thoughtful articles with stimulating fresh thinking. Alas that makes it all the worse when they publish something moldier than a slab of Roquefort cheese. So it is with their current combined attack on adult stem cell research, designed to support the alternative of embryonic stem cells.

Adult stem cells come from all over the body, plus umbilical cords and placentas. Embryonic stem cells come from pulling apart human embryos, and thus have aroused ethical concerns. The result says Chris Mooney in the Washington Monthly is that "conservatives have latched onto fringe science in order to advance moral arguments" by embracing adult stem cell research. We are presented with the illogical argument that since some people prefer adult stem cells for non-scientific reasons, they must therefore have little scientific value.

Yet adult stem cells have actually been used therapeutically in the United States since 1968. At one website you'll find a list, far from comprehensive, of almost 80 therapies using them. This is treatment, not practice or theory. Amazingly, there are also more than 300 adult stem cell clinical trials.

In contrast, the number of treatments using embryonic stem cells is zero. The number of clinical trials involving embryonic stem cells? Zero.

Embryonic stem cell propagandists will tell you adult stem cell research had a huge head start and embryonic stem cells only need time (and more importantly, massive government funding) to catch up.

Yet as a new book called The Proteus Effect points out, both types of stem cell research date back half a century. You might think the author of The New Republic piece, Harvard Professor of Medicine Jerome Groopman, would know this since ostensibly his contribution is a review of the book. Research with embryonic stem cells has progressed at snail's pace simply because they are so terribly difficult to work with.

 

Catherine Verfaillie of the University of Minnesota was the first to discover ASCs that appear to have the potential to become all cell types.

                                                        Ironically, some of the very diseases  he says embryonic stem cells may     conquer have long been treated with adult stem cells. Groopman specifically mentions Fanconi's Anemia, but it was first treated with umbilical cord stem cells 16 years ago.

The only possible advantage of embryonic stem cells is potential. "It's well established that embryonic stem cells can generate any kind of tissue found in the body," Mooney writes flatly. "There is no disagreement among experts about the capacity of (ESCs) to form any and all cells and tissues of the body," Groopman declares. Translation: Disagree with Groopman and you're not an expert.

But we already know embryonic cells cannot generate placental tissue. The President's Council on Bioethics, in its January 2004 report, observes, "Embryonic stem cells are capable of becoming many different types of differentiated cells if stimulated to do so in vitro (outside the body)." However, "it is not known for certain that human embryonic stem cells in vitro can give rise to all the different cell types of the adult body."

Meanwhile, three different labs have found three different adult stem cells that may be transformable to all cell types. "In aggregate, our study and various others do support the idea that one (ASC) can give rise to all types of tissue," said Ira Black, the head of one of those labs.

Or perhaps we don't need a "one-size-fits-all" cell. Scientists have already discovered at least 14 different types of adult stem cells. Even if each has limited plasticity, combined they could perhaps be reprogrammed into each type of mature cell we need. So when Groopman says adult marrow cells may not be "fully optimal as treatment for many fatal diseases," he's ignoring at least 13 other adult stem cells that could be.

Almost "every other week there's another interesting finding of adult (stem) cells turning into neurons or blood cells or heart muscle cells," notes molecular biologist Eric Olson at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Unfortunately, it seems every other week there's also another article in the popular press claiming adult stem cells range from nearly worthless to utterly worthless.

Ironically, the original motivation for the massive disinformation campaign is precisely the relative scientific superiority of adult stem cells. Savvy venture capitalists have plowed their money into adult stem cell research and treatment, leaving embryonic stem cell researchers desperate to feed at the government trough. It is they and their supporters who have latched onto fringe science.

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Read Michael Fumento's additional work on stem cells.

[BlessedBeGod]

Embryonic stem cell research has suffered not from a lack of Federal funding, but from the puritanical mindset of people who believe that a non-viable group of sixteen or thirty-two cells is somehow a "person", and thus an entire line of potentially fruitful research is held back.

That's right. It's an elephant.

*rolls eyes*

[Choose Ye This Day]

Great article. Make sure you click on all the hyperlinks. This one was fascinating:

**Current Stem Cell Applications:

Acute Leukemia’s
Acute Lymphoblast Leukemia (ALL)
Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML)
Acute Biphenotypic Leukemia
Acute Undifferentiated Leukemia


Chronic Leukemia’s
Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML)
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)
Juvenile Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (JCML)
Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia (JMML)


Myelodysplastic Syndromes
Refractory Anemia (RA)
Refractory Anemia with Ringed Sideroblasts (RARS)
Refractory Anemia with Excess Blasts (RAEB)
Refractory Anemia with Excess Blasts in Transformation (RAEB-T)
Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia (CMML)


Stem Cell Disorders
Aplastic Anemia (Severe)
Fanconi Anemia
Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH)
Pure Red Cell Aplasia


Myeloproliferative Disorders
Acute Myelofibrosis
Agnogenic Myeloid Metaplasia (myelofibrosis)
Polycythemia Vera
Essential Thrombocythemia


Lymphoproliferative Disorders
Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
Hodgkin's Disease


Phagocyte Disorders
Chediak-Higashi Syndrome
Chronic Granulomatous Disease
Neutrophil Actin Deficiency
Reticular Dysgenesis


Other Inherited Disorders
Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome
Cartilage-Hair Hypoplasia
Glanzmann Thrombasthenia
Osteopetrosis
Adrenoleukodystrophy

Inherited Platelet Abnormalities
Amegakaryocytosis / Congenital Thrombocytopenia


Inherited Metabolic Disorders
Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS)
Hurler's Syndrome (MPS-IH)
Scheie Syndrome (MPS-IS)
Hunter's Syndrome (MPS-II)
Sanfilippo Syndrome (MPS-III)
Morquio Syndrome (MPS-IV)
Maroteaux-Lamy Syndrome (MPS-VI)
Sly Syndrome, Beta-Glucuronidase Deficiency (MPS-VII)
Adrenoleukodystrophy
Mucolipidosis II (I-cell Disease)
Krabbe Disease
Gaucher's Disease
Niemann-Pick Disease
Wolman Disease
Metachromatic Leukodystrophy


Histiocytic Disorders
Familial Erythrophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis
Histiocytosis-X
Hemophagocytosis


Inherited Erythrocyte Abnormalities
Beta Thalassemia Major
Sickle Cell Disease


Inherited Immune System Disorders
Ataxia-Telangiectasia
Kostmann Syndrome
Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency
DiGeorge Syndrome
Bare Lymphocyte Syndrome
Omenn's Syndrome
Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID)
SCID with Adenosine Deaminase Deficiency
Absence of T & B Cells SCID
Absence of T Cells, Normal B Cell SCID
Common Variable Immunodeficiency
Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome
X-Linked Lymphoproliferative Disorder


Plasma Cell Disorders
Multiple Myeloma
Plasma Cell Leukemia
Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia
Amyloidosis


Other Malignancies
Ewing Sarcoma
Neuroblastoma
Renal Cell Carcinoma
Retinoblastoma




**Potential Future Stem Cell Applications:

Alzheimer’s Disease
Cardiac Disease
Diabetes
Lupus
Multiple Sclerosis
Muscular Dystrophy
Parkinson’s Disease
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Spinal Cord Injury
Stroke

[Choose Ye This Day]

I should have specified: these are all current and possible future applications of using ADULT stem cells. No need for ghoulish baby part harvesting.

[Coleus]

Adult stem cell use is safe, effective and ethical with thirty years' of research to back it up all done without killing babies. If you click on post #4 you will find more examples of this safe, effective and ethical application of adult stem cells.

[reasonmclucus]

Scientists are just as likely to support superstition as anyone else. Unfortunately many scientists are trying to use science as a substitute for religion - a set of beliefs that are accepted without question or examination. Many once believed that there were no adult stem cells. Many also believed that no new cells were produced in the brain. Science has since shown that adult stem cells exist and they can even produce new brain cells. Unfortunately, many so-called scientists are reluctant to accept the new facts.

[Bullish]

I'm not surprised to ADCs under attack by the left. Their goal seems to be to make an industry out of abortion beyond just having abortions legal. They are hoping to make it necessary beyond a womens' "right to choose".

This is pure evil, and it needs to be stopped.

[Choose Ye This Day]

Yep. I sent this Fumento article to my confused left-leaning buddy who thinks WE are the unreasonable ones who are "blocking" progress by "preventing" stem cell research.

I cannot believe the Left was so stupid as to try to hang their hat and their election chances on unproven pseudoscience like embryonic stem cell research. The fact that they ignore all the success that adult cells have yielded leaves me with no other conclusion: the only reason the Dems want a big push on embryonic stem cell research, is that they want more abortions, and they want abortions to be seen as somehow having a "positive" effect on society.

They are ghouls without souls.

[Wonder Warthog]

"Unfortunately many scientists are trying to use science as a substitute for religion - a set of beliefs that are accepted without question or examination."

Malarkey. Let me guess, you're an "anti-evolutionist".

[Wonder Warthog]

Paragraph breaks are your friends.

[AnnaZ]

Embryonic stem cell research has suffered not from a lack of Federal funding, but from the puritanical mindset of people who believe that a non-viable group of sixteen or thirty-two cells is somehow a "person", and thus an entire line of potentially fruitful research is held back.

These folks might disagree with you:

Snowflakes Frozen Embryo Adoption Program

Embryos preserved in frozen storage offer great hope for life and for families facing fertility challenges. When a family has been successful in having a child through in vitro fertilization, embryos are often cryo-preserved, resulting in the question of what to do with them. These frozen embryos can be the hope of a child for an infertile couple. Embryo adoption shares this wonderful hope with others.

In 1997, Nightlight began the Snowflakes Frozen Embryo Adoption Program, which is helping some of the more than 400,000 frozen embryos realize their ultimate purpose – life – while sharing the hope of a child with an infertile couple. In addition to your physician, you need to trust the people you choose to help you in these important decisions.

[AnnaZ]

Michael Fumento is quickly becoming one of my favorites. Thanks for the post.

[rocksblues]

The REAL reason the liberals are so fond of ESCR is that it "might" some day provide a scientific justification for abortion.

You nailed it!

[Mr. Silverback]

ProLife Ping!

If anyone wants on or off my ProLife Ping List, please notify me here or by freepmail.

[cgk]

Pro-life/pro-baby ping...

[MHGinTN]

"... mindset of people who believe that a non-viable group of sixteen or thirty-two cells ..." Define 'non-viable', or shut the hell up with your lickspittlist defense of cannibalism. [HINT: if placed in the correct selected environment, you too are completely 'non-viable'. Would you like to participate in a 'trial to test that premise'?]

The harvesting (read stripping) of stem cells from embryos occurs when there are one-hundred or more cells built by the embryo-aged individual. This allows the 'harvesters' (read cannibals) to differentiate the inner cell mass --that builds the body for use in the air world-- from the embryo's cells building the placenta and umbilicus. You see, when the 'harvester' fails to eliminate cells building the placenta and umbilicus, the cells harvested can build placenta and umbilicus in the brain of the recipient of the cannibalized cells. In fact, this is exactly what has happened to the poor soul into whom Chinese 'researchers' injected embryo stem cells ... killed him, too.

[presidio9]

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