US changes stem cell rules
The Obama administration has changed the presidential rules that controlled the usage of stem cells. In the previous Bush administration scientists in the US could only perform scientific studies on existing stem cells and were not able to create new stem cell lines. During the Bush years scientists complained that they were falling behind European scientists by not being able to use federal funding in the creation and study of new stem cell lines. Note that scientists in the US could still perform studies on new stem cell lines, they just could not use federal dollars – they could use private funding without any rules. Many drugs are created and built using private funding but many universities wanted to compete but could not because they run on public funding. So the funding issue became more of a political issue rather than a scientific one. By changing the rules, President Obama made it easy for public institutions to compete with corporations and European and Asian universities that were always allowed to use public funds for stem cell research. (Source: Cosmos Magazine)
This is a lightening rod issue in the US because many feel that the destruction of life should not be used for scientific research. There are also those on the other side that say that the embryos were going to be destroyed anyways because of abortions or fertility clinic work that created too many embryos. In that case, it was argued that these new embryos should be used in scientific research, specifically spinal cord and brain research to cure major medical problems. As a news organization, we just want to report changes that could have major breakthroughs for both spinal cord injury patients and Alzheimer’s patients. It has not been proven that embryonic stem cell research can cure these medical issues, but stem cell research in general appears to be the only way that a cure could be found in the next 50 years or so.
Both the brain and spinal cord are tremendously complicated and we are always making discoveries that could impact how stem cells could be used as a cure or treatment. As always, it is best to watch the science and not put yourself in a situation where your body is nothing more than a science project. There are boutique hospitals in China that will inject your body with stem cells in your spine or brain with hopes that it will give you more control over your body or slow down a degenerative disease. These types of hospitals can be extremely dangerous because there is no repeatable scientific proof that these procedures are safe. There are many stories of patients coming back in more pain and with tumors growing where the injections were made. Obviously this is not what you want to do when you are already having medical issues. Think carefully about any procedure that is not available in Europe or the US.
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