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Date Posted: 08:15:05 12/18/02 Wed
Author: rujane
Subject: Re: Stem Cell Research
In reply to:
talkonline
's message, "Stem Cell Man" on 15:39:13 12/17/02 Tue
In stem cell research, the distinction has to be made between embryonic stem cells, which are derived from living embryos, and other forms of stem cell research (from cord blood, for example) which are derived from tissue or blood. Embryonic stem cell research presents an ethical problem for many people because in extracting the stem cells you are killing the embryo; further consideration are whether it would be permissable to create embryos specifically for the purpose of extracting stem cells, selling of "surplus" embryos that resulted from fertility treatments, etc. Many people do not object to stem cell research, generally, but do object to embryonic stem cell research.
As far as pharmaceutical companies go, I once heard a researcher talk about drug development in the US - he said that most drugs become available about 15 years after the initial experimentation, half of that time is the actual research and development and the other half of the time is in getting it through FDA approval. This can vary, but all of that time, the company is paying salaries and benefits to highly skilled research workers, facilities, equipment, chemicals; then, paying legal teams who have to present the FDA case to the gov't. There is no profit until the drug reaches the market, and I think we don't understand that often millions can be spent 'on spec' with no guarantee that the drug will ever be approved and turn a profit. We don't see the years and dollars leading up to the "overnight sensation".
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Re: Stem Cell Research -- talkonline, 11:56:47 12/18/02 Wed
Thanks-Rujane!.........stem-cell research for use in curing human disease is one thing,but I wonder if the cells are also being used in clone-type experiments and genetic engineering?.........I have seen ads for carrots (I think it was carrots? or corn? or tomatoes?) that contain a vaccine.(what if I eat one by accident?) I have seen an ad in this week's issue of TIME that claims the future of fuel (for cars) is a genetically engineered corn...................the weird ideas are out there and "mad-scientists" are working on them! I think that I heard last week that some Asian researchers have 15 men who they are trying to make pregnant.?!!(did I hear that on PAUL HARVEY?-from what I remember,"thousands" volunteered for the experiment).
I guess it really is too late to try and stop scientists from doing weird stuff-there are laws in the US but they could just go to "The Island of Dr. Monroe"-or offshore????.....I don't want any of my tax dollars sponsoring such research.
With all of the crazy and dangerous things that evil-doers can do, it is almost ironic that the smallpox threat is such a big topic.
Parkinsons is a relativly "common" disease,a cure for it would probably pay-for itself in long-term hospital care costs alone. Instead of asking taxpayers to pay for the research,maybe they should ask the health insurance industry????
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