NYT On Embryonic Stem Cell Research
The New York Times is running an interesting piece on embryonic stem cell research, therapeutic cloning and the goals of researchers in the field. "Another group directed mouse stem cells to grow into nerve cells and tried to use them to treat Parkinson's disease in mice. The nerve cells produced the missing chemical, dopamine, but not enough to cure the disease ... use the cells instead of bone marrow transplants to treat patients with genetic disorders like sickle cell anemia, and inborn disorders of the immune system ... goal in cloning is to understand what goes wrong in a disease like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's or diabetes." This is an energetic, very promising field that would benefit greatly from an end to restrictive legislation and threats of criminalization.