In local Arizona stem cell news, this afternoon I sat in on a meeting of a local Arizona coalition of advocacy groups. I gave a brief summary of embryonic stem cell research and upcoming legislation in our U.S. Congress. (I was speaking in favor....)

One of the attendees said he had thought that “they” just went into the woman’s womb and took out embryos for use in research. He was shocked and happy to learn about the 400,000 excess IVF embryos (in the U.S.) that would otherwise be discarded (I had to explain IVF to him, too) It changed his mind on the issue of embryonic stem cell research.

More shockingly for me, my husband found this man’s statement understandable, and told me there is no difference morally (to him) between using excess IVF embryos or going in a woman’s body and simply taking them to use for research.

and so it goes...

Perhaps your husband looks on childbearing as a gift and not as a woman's right. Do you believe children are born to satisfy a need of the parent's or as tiny human beings who need to be cared for and protected, teaching the parents the value of life? Another words does the need of the parent overcome the need of the child?

Vicky

embryos discarded each year. That is staggering. To think what science could have achieved, given the opportunity for research. How far advanced would we be, in terms of cures for debilitating disease.?

C'mon guys knock knock!!! For a country that has given us Einstein, Eddison, Anna Nicol Smith, Britney Speirs, Paris Hilton, and Mickey Mouse you sure have lost the plot.....just a little.

GO HARD.....SCIENCE

Kinda thought Einstein was German, Howard

Agree with the sentiment though - go biogeeks! Power to the petri! Spin it baby one more time!

after listening to Dr. Eggan , stem cell resesrcher with Dr. Ole Isacson at Harvard, on a PAN conference call we learned:

• that serious stem cell reasearchers need to be able to use SCNT, which is more ethical all around.
• they think they can create neurons with Parkinson disease
• Finally they can test chemicals, smalll molecules ,etc on the diseased neurons and it might result in an entire new generation of pharmaceuticals that include pills

They have a robot sampling chemicals on ALS neurons continuously , multiple wells of it. In the basement at Harvard.

paula

Isn't Germany a state/suburb of California? Nein Spreiken ze Deutche

Maybe I should rephrase that...For a country that gave us Ford, Jefferson, the Wright Bros, Eddison, and George Clueless eerrr Clooney they sure have dropped the ball when it comes to ESCR

The sooner we get those wasted Embryos into the petri dish and under the scrutiny of science the better. We all know there will never be a consensus on pro choice or pro "no choice" by the extremists from the religious right, so let them debate for another 1000 years. Meanwhile lets not waste what is being wasted. Just do it.

GO HARD SCIENCE

LOL!

Now you owe Nike $0.05

Gimme so o' those funky stem cells bro'