Use embreyos for cures?

[glucagirl]

I'm sorry if you dont think differently, but let me start from the beginning. I am 13 yrs old with type 1 diabetes. I have probably half my life to look forward to with diabetes. Yet, I am not, and let me say again NOT, willing to take away human lives for a cure to my disease I can live with for a while yet. For me, I would rather live with this thing which is much easier in this generation then ever before then let scientists murder human babies for my leisure. Thanks.
Whitney Morris

[yeswe'rebothD]

Whitney-- how courageous of you to say that! I agree with you 100%. There are many other fine sources of stem cells that do not require human lives to be destroyed and I wish our politicians and scientists would recognize and further develop those methods rather than the highly controversial ones.

[gsmom]

Whitney,

As an adult it's wonderful to hear your feelings on this issue. I do not have D and cannot directly relate to exactly what your going through except for through the eyes of a parent of 2 D children. I share your opinion and am thrilled that there are other options out there that are being looked into. I would do almost anything to make my childrens lives easier & healthier, but am glad that they too are living in a time when there is so much being done to find a cure. While I don't judge others views, I personally would never be comfortable with an embryo being destroyed for this research.

Thank you for the insight from someone that this could "directly" effect.

[LantusFiend]

http://www.stemcellresearch.org/facts/treatments.htm
I saw this list (diseases that adult stem cells have treated vs those embryonic stem cells have treated) before the list had diabetes on it.
That Brazilian implant thing used adult stem cells.

[Carrie]

Whitney...thank you for verbally taking a stand for life!! Some of us adults wouldn't be so courageous to do so.

[thebestnest5]

Whitney,

I agree. We are a pro-life family and want a cure, too...just not at the expense of human life. Thank you for your post. :cwds:

It's true there are many adults who would not be courageous enough to post what you did. Good for you!!:D

[deafmack]

I am so proud of you. Few adults would be willing to take a stand like you have. You are right we do not need to kill infants to produce stem cells. Everyone has stem cells. I want a cure for diabetes but I can live with it until they find a cure without the expense of costing lives.

[jpb286]

For me, I would rather live with this thing which is much easier in this generation then ever before then let scientists murder human babies for my leisure. Thanks.

I am sure this post is going to incite a riot, but I am just going to state my opinion and that will be all. I dont see what this thread has to do with anything other than starting a debate over peoples personal viewpoints on politics and religion; both uneasy topics for many with no happy, agreeable medium.

My views:
1.) All the current federally-funded stem cell research programs use EXISTING stem cell lines. No one is creating "babies" in a lab and killing them for scientific advancement. mad: That's just a totally inaccurate statement.

2.) I would rather see fertilized embryos used for this purpose than to play god, by creating genetically perfect species or cloning. mad: We have done far worse than this, anyone remember Dolly the Sheep?

3.) I can personally live with the fact that embryos would be being created for the sole purpose of doing stem cell research and potentially curing millions of people of crippling diseases far-worse than diabetes. With great triumph, comes great sacrifice.

4.) There are numerous families out there that would gladly donate fertilized embryos to cure their children of awful diseases for which there is no cure.

5.) I dont believe human life exists until the embryo becomes a fetus, so no one is "killing" anything. You cant even get two people to agree on when "life" begins, so how does anyone expect to say that scientists are "killing" babies. This isnt goverment-funded genocide. Get real.

6.) If you want a cure, what do you honestly expect? Just about every cure for "curable" conditions has come from a lab. If we have to create embryos and then destroy them to save human lives, then so be it; no significant sacrifice if the embryos would have otherwise been destroyed anyway. I would rather see an embryo used for medical science than I would see it thrown away.

7.) I personally attend conferences, rallys, etc... for the support of government-funding of NEW lines of stem cells and programs that would allow people to (by their own choosing) DONATE their embryos for this sole purpose. If you dont like it, dont participate. No one is FORCING anyone, but something has to be done. Its been nearly 100 years since the discovery of insulin, and that wouldnt have been possible either if numerous animals werent slaughtered, pancreases juiced and the extracts injected. but that was okay then? How is this anywhere close to being that bad?

[Mama Belle]

Whitney, I applaud you voicing your opinion about this as a teenage girl with D. I tend to agree more with Paul than I do with you, but I do think it is great that you have the conviction to state your opinion on this matter.:D

[Ellen]

I respect your right to choose not to embrace any therapy that results from embryonic stem cell research as a potential cure for type 1 diabetes. This past week, the Senate debated the authorization of Federal funding for the use of embryonic stem cells that will otherwise be discarded (not implanted). The majority of Americans also support federal funding of this research (which is currently legally allowed in the US and many other countries worldwide).

I do not recognize your right to take away my right to have my child potentially live a long and healthy life without diabetes, through the use of embryonic stem cells that will otherwise be discarded.

I stood over my friend's daughter's grave and helped shovel the dirt on her casket, and promised my friend and her deceased child then and there that I would not give up the fight for all those who still live with diabetes and continue to be diagnosed with diabetes. My friend's daughter lost the battle.

The cells that will be discarded can be buried or can be used for improving quality of life.

I choose life, my son's life.

[jpb286]

Well said Ellen.... well said.

[Mama Belle]

Well said Ellen.... well said.

I second that.

[Anne]

I third that! My sentiments exactly Ellen. Thank you.
Anne

[Jacob's Mommy]

Thank you Ellen.

[thebestnest5]

This still comes down to the moral debate. Discarded really has very little to do with this debate, if the person feels it is truly a human life that is being experimented on.

There are NEWBORN babes that are discarded in dumpsters by teenage mothers...but since it is agreed upon that this is a life, discarded has no bearing...we as a nation feel it would be reprehensible to experiment on discarded NEWBORNS (meaning already given birth to.). And, yes the majority of our nation would find that performing medical experiments on a LIVE, yet discarded NEWBORN completely unethical...whether this still alive newborn was discarded in a dumpster by the mother or not.

It really is the moral question of when does human life begin...

[melissabeth]

It's nice to see a respectful debate about this emotional issue. I happen to agree with Ellen's point of view, although I respect Whitney and other individuals' rights to express their opinions and beliefs. However, I think it's important for us to keep in mind that there are so many ways of looking at this topic and that no one person can really say what we as a nation do and do not find acceptable.

[zeb'smom]

Thank you Ellen, you said just what I wanted to say much more eloquently than I would have. It is a shame that we (as a nation) seem to feel that we have to choose between science and morals (religion), both the stem cell and evolution debates seem center around that issue.

I used to believe (as a teenager) that all research of any kind done on animals was morally wrong. I still believe that testing cosmetics and razors on animals is wrong and buy cruelty free products. But my view has changed and not just because I grew up, it changed because a LOT of dogs and rabbits died during the discovery of insulin and I thank god for it. We have better more controlled techniques for animal research today and fewer animals die as a result, but if more animals die in research toward a cure (for diabetes, or cancer, ALS, MS) then I am okay with that. I am also okay with the use of human stems cells weather from adult, embryonic or umbilical cord blood.

I too choose the life of my son over the potential for life of a cluster of cells not yet big enough to been termed a zygoat.

Robyn

[jpb286]

My thoughts exactly.

[thebestnest5]

The threads on the usage of embryonic stem cells surface every few months...here's the last one I remember.

http://forums.childrenwithdiabetes.com/showthread.php?t=1936&highlight=gene+therapy

The use of stems cells...even the debated embryonic stems cells still are looking at a transplantation that may come with powerful anti-rejection drugs.

Use of animals in experiments is vastly different than use of human life in experiments. I really don't believe the two should be compared as equals.

[Twyla]

My son and husband's lives. Well said Ellen and Paul. Thanks for your eloquence and count me in. And I say this with all respect for others' right to choose differently.

[Mama Belle]

However, I think it's important for us to keep in mind that there are so many ways of looking at this topic and that no one person can really say what we as a nation do and do not find acceptable.

Exactly. Thank you.

[Taocat]

What a wonderful, courageous young woman you are.

I stand with you.

Donna
:cwds: