More Truth on Stem Cells--at NYT

A final note on the Embryonic Stem Cell Good News: It Ain't. This story in the New York Times surprisingly tells the truth about embryonic stem cell research, including this:

However, the president’s support of embryonic stem cell research comes at a time when many advances have been made with other sorts of stem cells. The Japanese biologist Shinya Yamanaka found in 2007 that adult cells could be reprogrammed to an embryonic state with surprising ease. This technology “may eventually eclipse the embryonic stem cell lines for therapeutic as well as diagnostics applications,” Dr. Kriegstein said. For researchers, reprogramming an adult cell can be much more convenient, and there have never been any restrictions on working with adult stem cells.

For therapy, far off as that is, treating patients with their own cells would avoid the problem of immune rejection.

Comments

[Phillip Long]

Hi,

While I certainly appreciate the sensitivity of this issue. I do feel that the future benefits of reasonable and moral stem cell research can benefit mankind. There need to be a middle ground.

Phillip

[Chelie]

"Middle ground" meaning what?