Posted on 10/20/2005 7:38:34 PM PDT by aposiopetic
SAN FRANCISCO --Federal regulators on Thursday approved what would be the first transplant of fetal stem cells into human brains, a procedure that if successful could open the door to treating a host of neural disorders.
The Food and Drug Administration said that doctors at Stanford University Medical Center can begin the testing on six children afflicted with Batten disease, a degenerative malady that renders its young victims blind, speechless and paralyzed before it kills them.
An internal Stanford review board must still approve the test, a process that could take weeks.
- snip -
What's more, some of the brain cells to be implanted will be derived from aborted fetuses, which Caplan also said raised ethical concerns for some.
Stem Cells Inc., the Palo Alto, Calif. biotechnology company developing the Batten disease treatment, said it receives it fetal tissue from a nonprofit California foundation that also collects tissue from miscarriages and other surgical processes. Stem Cells chief executive Martin McGlynn declined to name the foundation.
(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...
bttt
and another
and a third for good measure
bump for later
and a bump for now just to alert the FReading public
bttt
yes, a bump to the top
Weissman, et. al., are using already doomed babies and babies with a deadly disease for the same reason - and to advance that reason - that they give to use frozen embryos: "they are/were going to die, anyway."
It is never right to to evil to good. We all know this, and it is the very basic knowledge that drives the choice of this particular experiment: it's a test case to prove that people in the US will give in, as they did on IVF, abortion, and "assisted suicide," out of concern for visible victims.
Way back in 2003, we knew that human umbilical cord cells functioned to repair spinal cord injury. Weissman knew.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/06/030617081312.htm
I agree with aposiopetic's irritation with the lack of concern and uproar.
How much will we put up with before we say "Enough!"
The use of fetal cells from abortions is purely unnecessary.
From this mongth's Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, more on the promise of HUCB stem cells in repair of neural disorders:
http://www.annalsnyas.org/cgi/content/full/1049/1/67
Abstract
Human umbilical cord blood (HUCB) is now considered a valuable source for stem cell-based therapies. HUCB cells are enriched for stem cells that have the potential to initiate and maintain tissue repair. This potential is especially attractive in neural diseases for which no current cure is available. Furthermore, HUCB cells are easily available and less immunogenic compared to other sources for stem cell therapy such as bone marrow. Accordingly, the number of cord blood transplants has doubled in the last year alone, especially in the pediatric population. The therapeutic potential of HUCB cells may be attributed to inherent ability of stem cell populations to replace damaged tissues. Alternatively, various cell types within the graft may promote neural repair by delivering neural protection and secretion of neurotrophic factors. In this review, we evaluate the preclinical studies in which HUCB was applied for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and for traumatic and ischemic brain damage. We discuss how transplantation of HUCB cells affects these disorders and we present recent clinical studies with promising outcome.
I'm appalled. I can't believe that the FDA, which is supposed to have been hijacked by conservatives, is approving an embryonic stem cell experiment when alternative therapies have not been exhausted. Thanks for the link.
I should have pinged you to my #28 or #29 with info about umbilical cord and bone marrow cells.
"The use of fetal cells from abortions is purely unnecessary." Doctor, the state of California has decided to fund ESCR to the tune of billions in tax dollars. It is vital that the related 'treatments' maintain the dehumanized state of the unborn. So there is 'necessity' in this evil, for the profiteers to come.
Thanks for the ping. I'm always fascinated with the medical breakthroughs using umbilical cord stem cells.
Not to necessarily plug my blog, but I have many more links in yesterday's post concerning this story.
There is no excuse for using fetal cells. We know how horribly they failed in adult Parkinson's Disease. Those experiments even resulted in sham brain surgeries on other patients - all "approved." And now, these babies will have holes drilled in their heads and the brain cells of other babies inserted.
thanks for finding and posting that 'follow the money' info.
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