News of Ethical Amniotic Stem Cells Won't Slow ESCR Push, Expert Says
by Jim Brown
January 9, 2007
(AgapePress) - - A pro-life biochemist and international expert on stem-cell research and cloning is hailing a new report that says powerful and potentially medically beneficial stem cells can be found in the amniotic fluid that cushions babies in the womb. However, he doubts the finding will have much impact on proponents of embryonic stem-cell research, or ESCR. Harvard and Wake Forest University researchers have recently reported that they were able to extract stem cells from human amniotic fluid without harm to the mother or to the unborn child; and the extracted cells were able to become several different tissue cell types, including brain, liver, and bone.
Dr. David Prentice is senior fellow for life sciences at the Family Research Council and former professor of life sciences at Indiana State University. He says the report from Harvard and Wake Forest validates what the pro-life community has been saying all along.
"You don't need to go to the unethical and unsuccessful embryonic stem-cell research that requires destroying a human life," Prentice explains. "We have cells in amniotic fluid, placenta, umbilical cord blood, bone marrow, and lots of other tissues that can actually help patients," he says.
The Family Research Council's life sciences expert says news agencies are finally starting to recognize that ethical sources of stem cells for successful stem-cell research do exist. Many are beginning to acknowledge that "there are sources of stem cells ... that don't require destruction of human life," he says, "and we're seeing this more and more."
Before long, Prentice continues, "it's going to be hard ... for those who are pushing embryonic to say that theirs is a unique source of stem cells." But even though the Harvard and Wake Forest researchers' report on the successful and harmless extraction of amniotic stem cells is exciting, the life sciences expert doubts this new information will have any effect on the political debate on Capitol Hill over stem cell research regulation and funding.
Democrats in Congress who support ESCR are not really interested in helping patients, Prentice contends; he believes these lawmakers' simply want to push studies and clinical trials that result in the destruction of human embryos. House Democrats are set to pass legislation Wednesday that would expand federal funding of embryonic stem-cell research.
Jim Brown, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.
