Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Japan approves first human-animal embryo experiments

nature.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

41–50 of 187 posts

Re: Japan approves first human-animal embryo experiments

#41

Post by dekhn »

brightball wrote: post #31
dekhn wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This isn't really a problem. America can just wait for somebody else to take the risk and show the benefit, and then popular opinion would change. And we have the back-bench to develop these technologies once somebody has shown it possible. note that many parts of the US enthusiastically adopted stem cell technology ( https://www.cirm.ca.gov/about-cirm/history ) but unfortunately federal-level policies set by conserv…

Nobody was concerned about using stem cell technology or stem cell research. The opposition was/is entirely to the death of embryos in order to obtain some stem cells for research. It's not as if it's some anti-science policy. It's simply a continuation of anti-abortion politics, which a lot of people feel very strongly about and invokes a ton of ethical questions. As long as there can be a perception that someone wa…

The program I'm describing was funded to work with stem cells derived from embryos.

https://www.cirm.ca.gov/about-cirm/cirm-faq#embryos "All the embryos used in CIRM-funded research were donated from IVF clinics. They had either been rejected for implantation and were going to be destroyed, or the couple had decided to stop storing the embryos for future use. The embryos used to create embryonic stem cell lines were already destined to be destroyed."

Re: Japan approves first human-animal embryo experiments

#42

Post by lonelappde »

toomuchtodo wrote: post #37
mytailorisrich wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well exactly. If we are fine breeding so many for meat, breeding a few more to cure serious illnesses or even to save lives should not raise problems in public opinion.

Perhaps even further than that! It may make humanity realize that, just as oil is too valuable to burn, pigs are too valuable to use for bacon instead of life saving medical treatments.

There isn't a meaning limit on the number of pigs that can be raised, unfortunately.

Re: Japan approves first human-animal embryo experiments

#43

Post by lonelappde »

sampo wrote: post #28
bcrosby95 wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While I disagree with the US's stance, ignoring your morals because other countries are doing something would be a race to the bottom.

> ignoring your morals If those morals say people should die instead of getting the organ transplants they need, maybe we are better off ignoring such morals.

[flagged]

Re: Japan approves first human-animal embryo experiments

#44

Post by lonelappde »

dekhn wrote: post #41
brightball wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nobody was concerned about using stem cell technology or stem cell research. The opposition was/is entirely to the death of embryos in order to obtain some stem cells for research. It's not as if it's some anti-science policy. It's simply a continuation of anti-abortion politics, which a lot of people feel very strongly about and invokes a ton of ethical questions. As long as there can be a perception that someone wa…

The program I'm describing was funded to work with stem cells derived from embryos. https://www.cirm.ca.gov/about-cirm/cirm-faq#embryos "All the embryos used in CIRM-funded research were donated from IVF clinics. They had either been rejected for implantation and were going to be destroyed, or the couple had decided to stop storing the embryos for future use. The embryos used to create embryonic stem cell lines were…

It depends on what kind of anti-abortion one is. Catholics are anti IVF. Mysogynist patriarchists are pro-IVF.

Re: Japan approves first human-animal embryo experiments

#45

Post by madez »

ETHisso2017 wrote: post #13

I worry about allowing Japan, a country that has refused to fully own up to the biomedical atrocities it committed with Unit 731, to lead the way on these kinds of experiments. I would feel much more comfortable if there was international ethical oversight.

> I worry about allowing Japan

It's not up to you.

Re: Japan approves first human-animal embryo experiments

#47

Post by checktheorder »

sampo wrote: post #25
vorpalhex wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1945 was a long time ago and a very different Japan... We don't still force Germany to have caps on its army.

> We don't still force Germany to have caps on its army. You pacified the German psyche so thoroughly that the Germans do it themselves now.

It wasn't pacification. It was a nation collectively coming to terms with their brutal past and taking to heart the phrase "never again". If "not bombing non-knee-bending nations on a whim" equals "pacified" in your mind, then I hope you never hold a position of power in any government.

Re: Japan approves first human-animal embryo experiments

#48

Post by CorruptedArc »

lewaldman wrote: post #35

Why all comments are being down-voted? (Personally... I think this tech is amazing and I can't wait for it to be available worldwide!)

I've noticed that too. It seems like it is happening quiet a bit lately. Comments getting voted down out of no where for seemingly no reason.
Post reply on HN