Deception is Reality

The media have done their collective part to obscure public perception of stem cell research. Over the last five years, polls have slid towards favoring embryonic stem cell reasearch by about 10 points. Originally the deception lay in demonizing those (like myself) opposed to embryonic stem cell research as though we were opposed to adult stem cell research as well. The media would not make the distinction between embryonic and adult when they wrote or talked about such matters. Now that distinction is fairly well known, so the fudging has become focused on the ignoring of adult stem cell advancements and the disproportionate hyping of embryonic stem cell potential. For example, Dr. Carlos Lima, pictured, has recently taken the stem cells from the olfactory mucosa (the top of the nasal cavity) of spinal injury patients and successfully used them to restore bladder function and sphincter control, improve motor capabilites, and restore sensation to injured areas. That is amazing! I bet you've heard about it all over the news, right?!?! No. More likely you have heard how Bush vetoed a stem cell bill because he is beholden to radical religious elements in the Republican party and therefore he is preventing the cure of diabetes, alzheimers, etc. (I'm sure John Kerry [who served in Vietnam if you have't heard] is just going crazy thinking about how he could have both prevented the current war in Israel AND signed this bill that would likely have raised people from the dead, but he lost to that idiot cowboy in the White House.) You have also likely heard that the Bush veto is causing all of our scientists to flee the oppression of the administration's theocracy. Well, if they flee it won't be to Europe where the EU has put limits on funding embryonic research as well. You know what a bunch of religious nuts the Euros are!

There is much more to say on this, and I will in the future. For now though it should be made plain that the hype, hysteria, and (frankly) hankering for $ is with embryonic stem cell research. (Yes, as usual this is really all about money for too many who should be in it for other things.) The real science that is really helping and in some cases really curing people without the notice of the media is with adult stem cell research. And there may be safe, ethical ways to use embryonic stem cells on the horizon (look here and here). No one is opposed to these efforts except for those who long for unsafe and unethical ways to use embryonic stem cells . . . and believe me, they are out there.