Pentagon Invests $250 Million in Adult Stem Cell Research

WASHINGTON, D.C., September 10, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - As scientists continue to gather evidence that adult stem-cells hold great potential for healing and rebuilding human tissue, The Pentagon has announced it is investing a quarter-billion dollars into the research, reports CitizenLink.com.

The Pentagon plans to speed research in a five-year initiative to further unlock the ability of adult stem-cells to stop scarring, rebuild tendons and grow bones, in order to aid injured military personnel. Adult stem-cell therapy works by harnessing the patient's own regenerative ability, since the cells are harvested from the patient's own skin, bones, or wisdom teeth.

Col. Bob Vandre of the Army's Medical Research & Materiel Command, who authorized the initiative, expressed excitement at the possibilities of adult stem cell research. "I think regenerative medicine is going to change the world," he said. "I can see [it] increasing quality of lives, and becoming a huge technology that'll completely change the way we do medicine throughout the country."

Dr. David Prentice, senior fellow for life sciences at the Family Research Council, said there is little to suggest that embryonic stem-cell research carries the same promise, since only adult stem-cells have a proven track record.

"There's such an obsession in the U.S. with embryonic stem cells," said Prentice. "About all embryonic stem cells have done is make tumors in rats."

For more information on the potential of adult vs. embryonic stem cells: http://www.citizenlink.org/FOSI/bioethics/cloning/A000002145...

Related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:

Stem Cells in Baby's Own Amniotic Fluid Used to Help Form New Organ Tissues
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/aug/08081410.html

Huge "Ethical" Embryonic-Like Stem Cell Discovery Not So Ethical After All - Fetal Cells Used
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/jan/08010803.html

"There's such an obsession in the U.S. with embryonic stem cells," said Prentice. "About all embryonic stem cells have done is make tumors in rats."

And provide a safeguard for Big Abortion.

1 posted on 09/10/2008 3:42:57 PM PDT by wagglebee

To: cgk; Coleus; cpforlife.org; narses; 8mmMauser

2 posted on 09/10/2008 3:43:27 PM PDT by wagglebee ("A political party cannot be all things to all people." -- Ronald Reagan, 3/1/75)

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3 posted on 09/10/2008 3:43:57 PM PDT by wagglebee ("A political party cannot be all things to all people." -- Ronald Reagan, 3/1/75)

4 posted on 09/10/2008 3:44:47 PM PDT by airborne (Rudy is right! They would never treat a man like this!! DON'T MESS WITH A HOCKEY MOM!)

5 posted on 09/10/2008 4:54:18 PM PDT by vpintheak (Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked. Prov. 25:26)

Adult stem cells have a huge potential to treat catastrophic injuries, a lot of trauma care advances originated with military doctors.

6 posted on 09/10/2008 4:57:11 PM PDT by wagglebee ("A political party cannot be all things to all people." -- Ronald Reagan, 3/1/75)

7 posted on 09/10/2008 5:04:10 PM PDT by vpintheak (Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked. Prov. 25:26)

To: Coleus; nickcarraway; narses; Mr. Silverback; Canticle_of_Deborah; TenthAmendmentChampion; ...

I am now personally involved in Adult Stem Cells because of my dad. He’s 76 and has major heart problems. His cardiologist is at the forefront in this research—not the pentagon’s but heart related. My dad plans to be part of a double blind study in the next couple months. This is very new to me, but basically: Marrow is taken from the hip and processed in a lab. I think the processing takes a few weeks then injected into the heart where the cells grow new veins ? or arteries to replace the ones that are blocked and cannot be cleared. The growth takes months. It’s a double blind study as I understand it because half are injected with their stem cells and half are injected with some inert substance and no one knows which. After six months the study is clear who got the “placebo” and then this control group can start their treatments for real. The first trials were a complete success and I think they called this level 2 trials.

I just received an email from the Doc with links but have yet to start reading them. I will post ASAP.

As Pro-Lifers this is doubly exciting. Because we can be a voice for this procedure. After twenty years Embryonic Stem Cells have been a complete failure, whereas Adult have resulted in many great successes with many more to come. I think I will start some kind of separate thread for this on my dad.

Please pray that this all works out and my hero dad can keep fighting the good fight.

8 posted on 09/10/2008 9:54:59 PM PDT by cpforlife.org (A Catholic Respect Life Curriculum is available FREE at CpForLife.org)

To: cpforlife.org

Will pray. I’m glad to hear it.

9 posted on 09/10/2008 10:46:12 PM PDT by nickcarraway

To: nickcarraway

10 posted on 09/11/2008 12:04:38 AM PDT by cpforlife.org (A Catholic Respect Life Curriculum is available FREE at CpForLife.org)

Pinged from Terri Dailies

8mm

11 posted on 09/12/2008 4:18:04 AM PDT by 8mmMauser (Jezu ufam tobie...Jesus I trust in Thee)

To: cpforlife.org

Hope your dad doesn’t get the placebo and it works for him. Have read good things about this.

12 posted on 09/13/2008 10:10:06 PM PDT by Bellflower (A Brand New Day Is Coming!)

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