Please help!!Need answers quickly

[Princess "Leia"]

Please help me...Bellow is the gist of a letter to the editor in today's newspaper, along side the letter I wrote(see post below, "Call you local newspaper"). They also edited my letter regarding reference to Kerry. I am really angry.

Here are some of the points the other letter mentions,

First SCR cures are generations in the future. Alzheimer is the least promising.

Second, the President is all for SCR, supports ASC research and it is just as promising.

Third he does not support cells obtained from embryos because they are destroyed in the process.

Fourth and finally spare embryos are not thrown out and are adopted by groups called Snow Flake Embryo adoption program. Indeed most scientists want to create their own embryos since IVF embryos are not suitable.


I am still learning and trying to figure this all out. I want to educate myself and others to ESC and ASC research. Can someone help me with these points above? I need more clarification for a rebuttal. I intend to write back, asap, regarding the misinformation....I am really, really ticked off. http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/images/smilies/mad.gifTakes a deep breathe and sighs....

Thanks,
Leia

"But I'm still an embryo, with a long, long way to go."

[This message was edited by Princess "Leia" on 08-14-04 at 07:18 PM.]

[Leo]

Hi Leia, Just gotta get use to the paper doing what they want, they have agendas also and creating contriversy is one of them.

First SCR cures are generations in the future. Alzheimer is the least promising.

So what? It's so far away theres no need to start. duh

Second, the President is all for SCR, supports ASC research and it is just as promising.

Ask them to show you the ESC studies that prove this. There not there because they've not been allowed to be studied enough.

Third he does not support cells obtained from embryos because they are destroyed in the process.

Fourth and finally spare embryos are not thrown out and are adopted by groups called Snow Flake Embryo adoption program. Indeed most scientists want to create their own embryos since IVF embryos are not suitable.

"All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given you."
Gandolf the Gray

[Curt Leatherbee]

Sounds like you have a religous right newspaper there.

[Lindox]

I had not heard of this "adoption agency".
But now after reading about it...well each individual will have to figure it all out within themselves..Good luck.

What about adopting an aborted fetus?

If this continues well...the barren humans will have to stay that way..hey it's a disability given to them.
Every living thing including viruses..well we will be compelled by conscious to just let them live..

In other words stay as you are is the opinion
of too many people.
And don't send living beings into a war.
Just take whatever is sent your way.
That is murdering young, vital humans.

Do not remove a heart or kidney or any body part from a human being still brain active on life support..even if they aren't brain active.

Where does it start and where does it end?

And science is helping to fuel these fires.
We don't need cloning except when used in
therapeutic research..not to clone a duplicate Garfield cat..or our favorite pets..or humans.

It's getting way out of hand folks.

Help is on the way.

[Princess "Leia"]

Curt, actually the paper is liberal. I think they used my letter along with this other to show two very opposing views, which always makes for a balanced read! Thought they did edit the last paragraph out about Kerry is was obvious I did not support George Bush SC policy. Still I was ticked...oh well...I have learned my lesson.

More questions...Does anyone know how many embryos are thrown away each year verses used?

How close are cures for many of the diseases associated with SCR?

How much time is being wasted because of the restrictive SCR policy of this administration?

And isn't true many coutries are far ahead of the USA when it comes to SCR?

Thank,
Leia

"But I'm still an embryo, with a long, long way to go."

[This message was edited by Princess "Leia" on 08-14-04 at 07:32 PM.]

[Wise Young]

Princess, I believe that you should say the following:

1. You and many others would be very happy that this group "Snow Flake Embryo adoption program" is available and they should adopt as many embryos as the parents would allow. The parent control the fate of the embryos. Many of the embryos have been stored too long to be safely used for transplantation. Many parents are also not willing for their embryos to be adopted and would prefer the embryos to be donated to research. The only embryos that will be used for research are those that the parents donate to research with full informed consent.

2. Nobody really knows how many embryos are discarded every year. It is estimated that fertility clinics currently hold over 200,000 frozen eggs and thousands are thrown away into the trash every year. There is also an incerasing number of disputes over frozen embyros. You should point out that the original NIH plan that was turned down by President Bush would have allowed only those embryos that have been donated by both parents and would have been otherwise trashed. In general, the in vitro fertilization procedure usually generates a surplus of embryos so that the parents can have multiple attempts at pregnancy.

3. How close to cures is stem cell research? I would urge you not to get involved in this argument. Nobody can predict the time schedule of progress in the field. All that we can predict with certainty is that if embryonic stem cell research is restricted, progress will be slow and we should not expect to see progress in embryonic stem cell research while NIH funds are restricted.

4. How much time is wasted because of Bush's restrictions of stem cell policy? This is easier to estimate. The NIH was ready to start funding research on embryonic stem cells derived from donated embryos from fertility clinics in 2000. In 2001, when Bush came into office, he suspended this program and then announced that he would forbid NIH funding of research on stem cells derived after August 2001. It turns out that he was mistakened about the numeber of stem cell line available before August of 200l. Probably 4 lines were available between 2001-2003. Even today, less than 20 lines are available and all these lines were grown on mouse feeder cells. Over 100 new embryonic stem cell lines have been derived since 2001 and scientists whose laboratories have been funded by NIH cannot study these cells without building new laboratories to do so. So, without any question, President Bush has held back embyronic stem cell research for over 3 years.

5. Many other countries have now pulled ahead of the United States in terms of stem cell research. Korea recently produce the first cloned human stem cell line. United States is not even close to doing this. Singapore has invested nearly $2 billion into biotechnology including stem cell research. Although no statistics are available, I would not be surprised if China, Britain, Japan, and Korea are together investing billions into stem cell research. Compare this with the paltry $25 million that NIH is currently spending. The U.S. has fallen significantly behind even though we had discovered embryonic stem cells in this country in 1997. The Bush administratin has delayed embryonic stem cell research by over 3 years and it may take another 2 years to reverse this devastating effect on stem cell research. The Bush administration, despite an overwhelming >70% public support for embryonic stem cells research and the entreaties of a majority of the U.S. Senate and over 206 Congressional representatives have refused to change their stance on embryonic stem cells.

Wise.

[Chris Chappell]

Even if the religious right believes that embryo's stored in fertility clinics are so-called "lives" then I have to ask a question of them.

Let's say there are two buildings on fire on opposite sides of a small town. The fire department, with limited resources, has to decide which building to go to. One building is a crowded movie theatre full of living, breathing, productive, currently alive people. The other building is an in-vitro fertility clinic with thousands of embryos frozen in petri dishes.

My question is: As a reasonable person where are you going to send the fire department?

[Wise Young]

Chris, your example reminds me of Arthur Ullian's impromptu speech before his honorary degree at Rutgers this May. He said that we are like firefighters arguing in the hallway of a burning building about which to save, a roomful of people or a roomful of freezers containing fertilized eggs. Incidentally, I might add eggs that are about to be thrown away. It is time to choose. Wise.

[bigbob]

Great point!

[Princess "Leia"]

Thank you all for the great points. As usual, I learn so much from you all and appreciate the efforts of everyone here. I am happy to report the my letter made it into a local edition in todays paper and fully intact too.

I still intend to address the misconceptions in the letter that opposed mine on friday.

Leia

"But I'm still an embryo, with a long, long way to go."