Package of bills requests embryo research transparency
In Michigan, the passage of Proposal 2 by a narrow margin in 2008 left many questions regarding human embryonic stem cell research in its wake. To answer those questions, Democratic and Republican lawmakers came together to introduce the Embryo Research and Fertility Clinic Transparency Act.
The Embryo Research Transparency Act consists of several bills that would codify the wording of Proposal 2 into Michigan law. The package will fulfill the promise of its supporters that no human embryos will be created specifically for destructive research or be bought or sold for monetary value.
NIH expands funding of human embryonic stem cell research
The guidelines issued on April 17, 2009, will allow federal funding of embryonic stem cell research on human embryos obtained from IVF clinics.
Researchers make human iPS cells without using viruses
The viruses used in earlier experiments raised safety concerns for patients receiving treatments.
Organizations supporting embryonic stem cell research
A
list of large local and national organizations that have expressed public
support for research using human embryos.
Fetal stem cells cause tumors in boy
An Israeli boy who traveled to Russia for a highly experimental treatment with neural stem cells was diagnosed with tumors on his brain stem and spinal cord.
Human-animal hybrid experiments shown to not work
Experiments
mixing human and animal DNA to create hybrid creatures have all failed,
said Dr. Robert Lanza of Advanced Cell Technology in Massachusetts. Scientists
hoped to create human-animal hybrids to harvest stem cells for patients,
but none of the creatures survived long enough to extract stem cells.
Recent adult stem cell advances
An update from Dr. David Prentice and others at Family Research Council looks back on several important advances with successful adult stem cell treatments in the last half of 2008.
Real Life: Saved By Her Brother
Cousins,
siblings, aunts and uncles are all blood relatives. Usually this is a
metaphor about the strong bonds holding families together. For six-year-old
Colleen, however, this is a fact that might have been the difference between
life and death.
FULL
TEXT
Embryo Adoption
EMBRYO OR TODDLER .
. . FRANK IS STILL FRANK!
(Roll over image to see Frank as a Toddler)
Frank
was adopted when he was just 4 cells old. Many seem to forget or ignore
that embryo, toddler, adolescent and adult are merely words to describe
levels of human development.
Destroying human life for research, even at its
earliest stages of development, is a dangerous prospect. Saying these
members of our society who have been frozen will be discarded anyway is
inaccurate. Many are saved for future family building by their parents
and others, like Frank, have been adopted by families who cannot conceive
children on their own.
FULL TEXT
Critical Reading
A
critical read through of "Stem-cell
therapy gives hope to accident victims" by Mark Henderson, published
on January 23, 2009, in the UK Times Online.
A critical read through of "Myths and Truth About Stem Cell Research,"
as published on the curemichigan.com website.
A critical read through of "Cures, jobs, ethics on the line in
vote on stem cell research Opposing sides dig in as vote nears on Proposal
2," BY Megha Satyanarayana, published in the September 24, 2008 Detroit
Free Press.
A critical read through of "Op-Ed: Stem cells likely biggest
issue in Nov." by Jack Lessenberry published in the Traverse City
Record-Eagle on July 13, 2008.
A critical read through of "Stem cell advocate speaks out"
by Beth Jones published on the WLUC-TV 6 website on June 18, 2008.
A critical read through of "Dr. Mel Lester: Embryonic Stem Cell
Research Offers Hope" published in the June 1, 2008 Lansing State
Journal.
A critical read through of text on the front page of the curemichigan.com
website.
A critical read through of "Future of stem-cell research discussed"
by Chad Livengood that appeared in the Feb. 21, 2008 Jackson Citizen Patriot.
A critical read through of the Op-Ed written by State Senator Gretchen
Whitmer that appeared in the Lansing State Journal on Jan. 20, 2008.
A critical read through of "Op-Ed: Embryonic stem-cell ban shows
state isn't serious" by Jack Lessenberry published in the Traverse
City Record Eagle on Dec. 23, 2007.
A critical read through of "Stem cell discovery might help state
life-sci industry" published in the Ann Arbor Business Review on
Dec. 6, 2007.
A critical read through of "More travel overseas for stem cell
therapy" published in the Detroit News on November 29, 2007.
Michigan's laws which prohibit the killing of human embryos for research
and human cloning have often been mislabeled as a "ban on stem cell
research." Read the legislation for yourself.