Stem Cell Research must be allowed.
I agree with you, but if IRCC it's about funding. People have problems funding stem cell research when the cells come from certain places. I don't agree with them at all, but I can understand their point.
Stem cell transplant has cured HIV infection, say doctors
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Re: Stem cell transplant has cured HIV infection, say doctors
#12If this doesn't turn out to be overblown sensationalism, then the team behind this (actual!) cure probably deserves a Nobel for their efforts and results.
It's real, but not practical. The risk of death during a transplant like this is as high as 10%, because it involves completely knocking out the immune system.
Presumably that risk could be mitigated with improved processes (vacuum room?). If I read correctly, this was extreme application of an existing technique (chemotherapy).
Admittedly this is pretty intense, but so are treatments for cancer. Let's hope this leads to improved and safer treatments in the future.
Re: Stem cell transplant has cured HIV infection, say doctors
#13Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's real, but not practical. The risk of death during a transplant like this is as high as 10%, because it involves completely knocking out the immune system.
Presumably that risk could be mitigated with improved processes (vacuum room?). If I read correctly, this was extreme application of an existing technique (chemotherapy). Admittedly this is pretty intense, but so are treatments for cancer. Let's hope this leads to improved and safer treatments in the future.
It's a bone marrow transplant. The process is rather well established. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hematopoietic_stem_cell_transpl...
Re: Stem cell transplant has cured HIV infection, say doctors
#14Stem Cell Research must be allowed.
The trick is that there are many sources of stem cells, some controversial, some most definitely not. For instance: baby teeth[1]; amniotic fluid[2]; embryos[3]; fetuses[4]; and others. There are even "pluripotent"[5] cells which have similar attributes, which have even been created from skin cells. "Stem Cell Research must be allowed": of course. Blanket bans are ignorant of the sources, and are effectively idiotic…
Indeed. It would help not calling them by a generic "Stem Cell research" name . Yes, some cell sources fall in the grey, almost black part of the line, but there are other being completely safe and out of ethical concerns. For example, discarded Placentas are full of them and doctors throw them away anyways.
Re: Stem cell transplant has cured HIV infection, say doctors
#15Stem Cell Research must be allowed.
The trick is that there are many sources of stem cells, some controversial, some most definitely not. For instance: baby teeth[1]; amniotic fluid[2]; embryos[3]; fetuses[4]; and others. There are even "pluripotent"[5] cells which have similar attributes, which have even been created from skin cells. "Stem Cell Research must be allowed": of course. Blanket bans are ignorant of the sources, and are effectively idiotic…
Don't forget about adult stem cells, too. Those do count.
Re: Stem cell transplant has cured HIV infection, say doctors
#16Earlier quoted context omitted.
The trick is that there are many sources of stem cells, some controversial, some most definitely not. For instance: baby teeth[1]; amniotic fluid[2]; embryos[3]; fetuses[4]; and others. There are even "pluripotent"[5] cells which have similar attributes, which have even been created from skin cells. "Stem Cell Research must be allowed": of course. Blanket bans are ignorant of the sources, and are effectively idiotic…
Don't forget about adult stem cells, too. Those do count.
I didn't include those specifically because they're much harder to find:
>Pluripotent adult stem cells are rare and generally small in number but can be found in a number of tissues including umbilical cord blood.
Though I'm not sure if that has changed. I've generally gotten the impression that, while they can literally be found in every tissue, they're much harder to actually find, separate, and stimulate in usable quantities than the ones I listed. Umbilical cord blood is probably worth including though, yes, I think I've heard that's fairly high density. Though that's not what I'd consider to be "adult"; nearly anything to do with growing babies has stem cells.
Re: Stem cell transplant has cured HIV infection, say doctors
#17Re: Stem cell transplant has cured HIV infection, say doctors
#18Stem Cell Research must be allowed.
The difficulty with using HIV as your use-case argument is last I checked, most religious organizations considered HIV to be God's scourge on homosexuals.
e.g. they are not particularly worried about getting rid of it.
(I'm not just being snarky or sarcastic)
Re: Stem cell transplant has cured HIV infection, say doctors
#19Earlier quoted context omitted.
I came here to extoll the benefits of stem cell therapy with bio-matter obtained from the proper sources... but you beat me to it. :)
What are the "proper" sources?
Good question. If you lay out your options that you know about, I'll point out if there are among them any acceptable ones in my opinion.
Re: Stem cell transplant has cured HIV infection, say doctors
#20Earlier quoted context omitted.
What are the "proper" sources?
Good question. If you lay out your options that you know about, I'll point out if there are among them any acceptable ones in my opinion.
Based on your username are you Jewish?
Because you'll be interested to know that Judaism not only permits embryonic stem cell research it actually encourages using the embryos rather than wasting them.