Last Saturday the LA Times ran a story with the headline: Cord blood: Banking on unproven hopes. The article highlights some studies in which human patients have have been successfully treated with stem cells taken from umbilical cord blood, particularly mentioning the case of 3-year-old Dallas Hextell who was treated for cerebral palsy with his own cord blood that his … Read More
Obama ‘Guarantees’ Executive Order on ESCR Funding
According to three sources who were not authorized to speak about a closed-door meeting that Obama had with House Democrats on Thursday, the President said, “I guarantee you that we will sign an executive order for stem cells.” Just last month the president told CNN that he would rather have Congress pass the bill. Meanwhile, I’m still praying…
Pray for Pelosi
I am deeply concerned about this woman’s soul – especially as a fellow Catholic. St. (thanks, Paul!) Origen said: God opens the lips of those who utter divine words, and I fear that it is the devil who opens the other people’s. (In Ex hom., 3,2) Do we have to wonder who keeps opening Nancy Pelosi’s? The latest from Pelosi … Read More
FDA Approves Human Trial of Treatment Derived From ESCs
The headline: FDA OKs First Human Trials of Embryonic Stem Cells. Note, this treatment will not consist in the direct infusion of human embryonic stem cells, but of neurons derived from ESCs: Starting this summer, the biotech firm Geron will treat a small group of spinal-cord injury patients using neurons derived from stem cells, marking the first time embryonic stem … Read More
Obama May Not Use Executive Order on Stem Cell Funding
In a recent interview with CNN president Barack Obama indicated that he would rather rely on Congress to rescind Bush’s ESCR funding policy instead of doing it himself by presidential executive order: “Well, if we can do something legislative then I usually prefer a legislative process because those are the people’s representatives” This is good news and potentially bad news. … Read More
Fight ESCR Funding!
While pro-lifers are busy fighting FOCA, we must also be fighting with equal enthusiasm the likely expansion of federal funding for embryonic stem cell research that will take place during the next administration. Not only is the research itself morally and ethically reprehensible, but expanding the amount of money taxpayers are already spending on this unethical research is fiscally irresponsible … Read More
What Planet is She On? *Updated*
In her first post-election speech last week, House Speaker Nanci Pelosi laid out the top priorities for the next Congress, which includes a bill to “relax federal restrictions on stem-cell research.” Jennifer Lahl says it best: OK, so California is broke. The U.S. economy is in the tank. And a top priority of the new Democratic Congress and Presidency is … Read More
Obama’s Ignorant Ad – *Updated
Apparently Barack doesn’t have very good researchers working on his ad campaign. Not that it takes a lot of research to get this one right. His latest ad accuses John McCain of “standing in the way” and “opposing stem cell research” (again, “stem cell research” here really only means research that involves human embryos.) This after McCain just released an … Read More
McCain-Palin: “Change is Coming” on Stem Cell Research Policy
This is not encouraging: Transcript: ANNCR: They’re the original mavericks. Leaders. Reformers. Fighting for real change. John McCain will lead his Congressional allies to improve America’s health. Stem cell research to unlock the mystery of cancer, diabetes, heart disease. Stem cell research to help free families from the fear and devastation of illness. Stem cell research to help doctors repair … Read More