An Editorial Supporting Stem Cell Research in Florida

An Editorial Supporting Stem Cell Research in Florida

In an opinion piece appearing in the Palm Beach Post, the author Eve Herold argues that Floridians need to support embryonic stem cell research. She points out the number of elderly Floridians with some form of a degenerative disease which might be treated by stem-cell therapies and argues that embryonic stem cell research in addition to adult stem cell research is necessary for the following reasons:

Adult stem cells can only generate a limited number of stem cells, while embryonic stem cells “hold the entire blueprint for the human body”; for scientists to learn how to “reprogram” adult stem cells, they need to understand how it occurs in embryonic stem cells and what the factors are; existing embryonic stem cell lines have mutated and also have been contaminated by the feeder mouse cells; the only way to create a stem cell match to avoid an immune system response is by using SCNT technology to put a particular patient’s DNA into the embryo to create the new cells; and that many of the existing federally-funded embryonic stem cell lines can only be used for research and teaching and patent restrictions limit scientists’ experimenting all the way to treatment. She also argues that the United States will continue to fall behind other countries, but the state of Florida can maintain global competitiveness.

This is a through, 2 page single-spaced opinion piece that seems well grounded in science.