[The_Communist_Threat]

This has been a fairly big issue here in the U$, since it is becoming extremely conservative, unlike most of europe....

Stem cells are cells that do not yet have an idenity and therefore, can become any cell, including nervous tissue.

The problem with stem cells is that to get fairly good ones, we must remove them from a fetus, and that will prevent the fetus from ever growing. I believe that stem cells can do a lot of good and that destroying a fetus is something that has to be done for this study.

This is just another example of religious morals holding back mankind.

Any thoughts?

[Proctor]

All for it. People need to realise that an actual person who is dying is more important than a fetus that might not survive in the first place.

[TUC]

If thousands of humans die of hunger and thirst each day we most not worry about a few cells. every live being sheds cells each day.....does anyone care? No...so what diference does it make where the cells come from. And even if I dont agree with growing cells to ears and planting them on mice it does allow the person that does it to learn skill which can be aplied to humans.....and if I got burned in an accident I would real like someone to know how to grow a new ear and put it on the side of my head.

[Cienfuegos]

its true. . .religion is once again standing in the way of science. . .when humans are dying later on in life thats when people will regret not allowing such expirementations to go on. . .in this case its the end that justifies the means. . .these small sacrifices now could save thousands in the future. . .cheers

[keli]

I think not allowing stem cell research but allowing fertility treatments is a huge double standard!

I posted this at Politics Online a few weeks ago, so for anyone who frequents that board, I am sorry for the redundancy. There has probably been lots published on this particular topic, but I happen to have the following book, which made it convenient to quote from.

This is from Misconceptions: Truth, Lies and the Unexpected on the Journey to Motherhood by Naomi Wolf

Wolf explains that women with multiple pregnancies must abort one or more of the fetuses to "optimize" the chances of the others for survival.

This situation is a uniquely American phenomenon. Because we lack universal health insurance and pay exorbitantly by the cycle for fertility treatments, many fertility specialists in our country raise their chances of producing a pregnancy before the couple's resources run out (while also raising their own profile for success) by harvesting many eggs and implanting a number all at once, in the hope that at least one of them will 'take'. This is one of the causes of multiple pregnancies- including the five-, six-, and seven-baby pregnancies- that are now becoming weirdly famous.

I discovered later at a global conference for fertility specialists that most other countries consider this practice barbaric. Few doctors outside our borders will implant so many eggs at a time precisely because of the risk of multiple pregnancies.

The conference Wolf attended was The Eleventh World Congress on In Vitro Fertlization and Human Reproductive Genetics., 13 May, 1999 Sydney Australia.

------------------------------------

[TUC]

I think not allowing stem cell research but allowing fertility treatments is a huge double standard!

How so? Its two diferent things.

Stemcell research = research on individual cells of a featus that still have the potential to develop into any other type of sell. the proces by which this is achieved is unknown and hence research is necessary.

Fertility Treatment can but must not make use of that research. and hence is independent.

[keli]

Did you read the passage I quoted?

If doctors implant ten fertilised eggs into a woman's womb and a multiple pregnancy occurs, to ensure the survival of at least one fetus, the others have to be aborted, and in fact, abortion is encouraged.

Using stem cells from a fetus will, in effect, abort it.

I see the embracing of IVF and the demonisation and a ban on stem cell research has a huge double standard.

[TUC]

Please see quote below.

[keli]

[Siberian Fox]

Just ignor that Keli, it's just TUC in another of his weird moods.

[keli]

Cheers. I was beginning to think I was missing something.

[TUC]

You did miss something.....you missed the fun in my posts....and I thought english humour was bad.

[keli]

There would have had to have been something funny in them in the first place, but your last one was an improvement.

[grinner]

I can't see why or how it is debatable.
Do it. Use it. Grow