Stem Cell Research Cures |

Prominent embryonic stem cell researchers leaving field, dimming prospects

Human embryonic stem cell research has been touted many times in the last decade as a path to curing many diseases. It has been the subject of much media coverage, controversy, and legislative action. The field has received federal funding since 2001, and that funding was expanded in 2008. The citizens of California voted in 2004 to commit billions of state money to funding human embryonic stem cell research. Missouri citizens voted in 2006 to enshrine the destruction of live human embryos as a right in their state constitution. Michigan citizens in 2008 followed Missouri's lead, overturning a state law forbidding the destruction of nascent human life for research purposes.

Organizations can stop supporting embryonic stem cell research

Though it may sometimes seem like every disease research association or medical institute supports the destruction of human embryos for research, not every organization does, and sometimes organizations that do can be convinced to change their stance. People who are considering supporting organizations who promote embryonic stem cell research can make a difference by asking them to change their policy.

More information on stem cell research at www.rtl.org

The Right to Life of Michigan website, www.rtl.org, has a stem cell research section that features more information and resources on stem cell research.

Federal court dismisses lawsuit on funding of embryo-destructive research

A U.S. District Court has dismissed a lawsuit that challenged the Obama administration's funding of embryonic stem cell research. The lawsuit was based on the interpretation of the 1996 Dickey-Wicker Amendment which prohibits the federal government from supporting research that destroys human embryos with tax dollars.

Michigan Legislature seeks human embryo research accountability

State Capitol

In 2008, Michigan voters approved a constitutional amendment (Proposal 2) allowing scientific research that destroys human embryos in order to obtain stem cells. Embryonic stem cell research was already legal in Michigan before the ballot measure, with state researchers using stem cells harvested from human embryos in other states or countries.

Organizations supporting embryonic stem cell research

The following is a list of organizations that have expressed support for human embryonic stem cell research. Research with embryonic stem cells necessitates the destruction of human embryos.

Headlines

First US patient receives artificial windpipe
The first American patient has received a synthetic trachea to treat his throat cancer. The trachea scaffold is made of plastic and used the patient’s own adult stem cells to add living tissue. Other patients have received donated and synthetic windpipes in successful stem cell experiments. FULL STORY

Small study treats type-1 diabetes
By passing immune system cells from patients through donated umbilical cord blood to “retrain” them, researchers were able to lessen diabetes patients’ dependence on insulin injections. Type-1 diabetes is caused by a patient’s immune system continually attacking cells which produce insulin in their pancreas. FULL STORY

Stem cells treat progeria in mice
University of Pittsburgh researchers have increased the life span of mice suffering from progeria using adult stem cells taken from young mice. Progeria is a rare genetic condition that causes rapid aging. FULL STORY

TV special examines stem cell fraud
CBS recently aired a segment on 60 Minutes exposing stem cell medical fraud. While many legitimate clinical trials and treatments using adult stem cells are conducted by businesses, hospitals and universities, some individuals cash in on stem cell hype and promise cures to ill patients after expensive treatments. FULL STORY

iPS cells match embryonic stem cells in researching disease
A Stanford University study found that induced pluripotent stem cells are as effective as embryonic stem cells in studying Marfan syndrome and potentially other genetic diseases. Patients suffering from Marfan syndrome have trouble forming bone and cartilage. The study authors said using iPS cells for studying diseases could have several advantages over using cells taken from destroyed human embryos. FULL STORY

Stem Cell Fact Sheets

Show Me the Treatments
See a list of ailments in human patients that have been successfully treated with adult stem cells. To date, there are NO ailments treated with human embryonic stem cells. PDF

Embryonic Stem Cell Research: Putting Women at Risk

Where will all the eggs come from? Using embryonic stem cells from cloned human embryos to treat a single disease would require an impossible number of reproductive-aged women to go through the onerous and sometimes dangerous process of donating their eggs. PDF

Fact Sheet - Advances in Ethical Stem Cell Research

Proponents of human embryonic stem cell research often cite all of the potential treatments that may result from the research but fail to mention that human life is destroyed when removing these cells from a human embryo. Now researchers have pioneered a different kind of treatment that carries the same potential for treating disease... without destroying human lives. PDF

The Embryonic Stem Cell Research Money Trail

Some embryonic stem cell researchers are interested in more than curing patients. They're interested in obtaining patents. Learn how some embryonic stem cell researchers are fighting to make big profits off of embryonic stem cells. PDF

The Great Stem Cell Debate: Understanding the Basics
As the debate over stem cells rages on, Right to Life of Michigan has put together a fact sheet discussing basic information about the issue and the difference between adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells. PDF