There will not be agreement about this issue, and I think many are torn about it. I'm not convinced it's the answer, but it's coming - and needs to be regulated. I do have doubts about mixing our cells, and doing something that "invasive" to our bodies.

There will be many experiments (aka clinical trials) to attempt these novel treatments and I am focusing my energies not on the ethical issues of the materials used, but in the ethics of treating patients humanely, to recognize the human participant element vs the animal subject. I've stopped arguing the moral issue, and settled for "I don't know, but I'll stay educated." If someone is going to be brave enough to do something highly invasive to find a treatment for me, I want that person and the treatment to be regarded for the importance of what is learned, not how much profit can be made, although the race is on for future business interests.

If embryonic stem cell research is successful, then the real decision has to be made, and that is pretty far down the road. Because I do have faith in a higher being, I think that the answer will come in a biologically delivered manner. It will either work or it won't. It's just too hard of an issue for me to ever come up with an ethical answer that would apply to everyone.

Big pharma is not happy to be where it is...it always wants more and to get bigger....it's' greed. They are never financially satisfied; must always show growth. Many injustices take place because of too much emphasis on the business end and not enough on the human end.

Besides all that, we each have a vote. We don't know whether either view is right or wrong because we really don't know if cells are meant to help us or if destroying an embryo is "killing" in the eyes of whomever will "judge" us - as in a person's religious beliefs. I do know that both sides are entitled to their opinion and to vote. The vote will decide the issue, and the choice is ours - that applies to both Christianity and democracy.

It's hard for me to figure out why we are put in this position - of having to try to morally figure this one out. My conclusion is we can't - it will be a biological conclusion first, then a personal decision. Perhaps the real ethical judgement will result from how we arrived at our conclusion, and not so much the conclusion itself.

paula