Stem Cells on NPR
NPR Science Friday was discussing the stem cell debate yesterday. This is a fantastic show week after week - I highly recommend it. I called in to make the following points:
First, for all of those who oppose this research, I would ask them to consider this: What if you or your child or your parent could potentially benefit from this research? It's easy to take a "moral" stance when it would not impact you.
Clearly, we don't consider these embryos to be babies. How could we possibly rationalize our current policy of destroying or freezing them indefinitely? One of the panelists had a great question for one of the callers who believes each embryo is indeed a baby. He asked, 'If a building was on fire, and you had the choice of saving a six year old girl or a plate of twenty embryos, which would you choose?'. The caller struggled with the question, and never really gave an answer.
The debate will go on, but eventually the U.S. will lift the current limits on federal funding of this research - probably with the next presidential administration. Until then, the research will go on in other countries, individual states, and the private sector.
While the President's policy is absurd and the debate should already be over, it does provide us with a chance to raise awareness for multiple sclerosis, since we could potentially benefit from this research. In that regard, I like that the debate is still happening....thanks President Bush.