Last week, citing financial difficulties as the main factor behind their decision, U.S. based Geron corporation announced that it was suspending the world’s first human trial for cells derived from human embryos and getting out of the embryonic stem cell (ESC) research business altogether. In recent years private investment into ESC research has been steadily declining for several reasons, not … Read More
A Little Stem Cell Research 101
Admittedly, it’s difficult to keep up with all of the threats to life and human dignity these days. We’re no longer talking just about abortion, but also several end of life issues and, of course, embryonic stem cell (ESC) research. The science has been around for a good 20 years or more, but I’m sure there are quite a few … Read More
Geron Abandons Embryonic Stem Cell Research!
This is huge, wonderful news! Geron Corp, the first company to get FDA approval for human trials with cells derived from embryonic stem cells has decided to shut down the trial they started last year and abandon embryonic stem cell research completely. From the NY Times: The company conducting the world’s first clinical trial of a therapy using human embryonic … Read More
Pope Benedict: Science Must Never Compromise Human Dignity
On Nov. 12 at the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace, Pope Benedict XVI addressed participants of the Nov. 9-11 international conference Adult Stem Cells: Science and the Future of Man and Culture. The Holy Father opened his remarks with praise for the various institutions exploring and promoting research on adult stem cells. Adult stem cells hold great possibilities healing chronic degenerative illnesses … Read More
Federal Embryonic Stem Cell Funding Lawsuit Not Dead Yet
Two months ago, U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth bowed to an earlier appellate court ruling and dismissed a lawsuit which claimed (correctly) that funding embryonic stem cell (ESC) research on newly harvested ESC lines violates a budgetary amendment prohibiting federal tax dollars from being used to create or destroy human embryos for scientific research. See more background here and here. … Read More
The Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Untethered Science
Fr. Robert Barron is a master movie reviewer. Here he comments on Rise of the Planet of the Apes, embryonic stem cell research and the danger of consequentialist reasoning:
No Such Thing as “Potential” or “Unwanted” Human Life
How often do we hear abortion/embryonic stem cell defenders refer to the embryo or the child in the womb as a “potential” human life? I’m stealing this quote from Rebecca Taylor: No human embryologist has ever, nor would ever, use the word potential describing human life or even “life.” In fact, “potential” human life does not exist. All matter in … Read More
The Continuing Story of Federally Funded ESCR in the US
This news is over a week old, but I was traveling last week when it broke and wasn’t able to post on it. From the AP – the latest in the continuing story of federally funded embryonic stem cell research: Judge dismisses suit on federal stem cell research For those of you who haven’t been following this very closely, or … Read More
Appeals Court Overrules ESCR Defunding
In case you missed the news – yesterday the U.S. Court of Appeals finally issued a ruling on the Obama administration’s appeal of a ruling by District Court Judge Royce Lamberth that blocked all current federal funding of embryonic stem cell research due to current federal law (via the Dicky-Wicker Amendment) that prevents the government from funding research that involves … Read More
Cloning Liars and My “Prejudice” Against Embryonic Stem Cell Research
Yesterday morning I testified at a MO House committee hearing in favor of a bill placing pro-life protections on some life science research grants (so that the money cannot go toward human cloning/ESCR). During testimony, two cloning advocates spoke up in opposition to the bill – one a major cloning lobbyist for Washington University near St. Louis. That two cloning … Read More