Lots of Opinions Out There

A lot of the news recently has actually been editorial or opinion pieces. I wanted to just give links here to a few of them if you are interested in seeing what's being said.

“Stem-cell research splits U.S. Republicans.” Reuters, 2-17-06.
This article discusses election year issues related to stem cell bills. It describe show many Republican candidates are finding themselves stuck in the middle.

“Stem cell debate: Ethics vs. new jobs.” Detroit News, 2-19-06.
This article focuses on the issues in the state of Michigan. Some people believe that the state’s strict rules on stem cell research are hurting business and the state economy. Others says that you can’t put business concerns ahead of ethical issues.
Anne’s opinion—this is an insoluble debate because people don’t agree on what constitutes human life. Most people would not support an economy based on murder, and would agree that’s not what is wanted. But if you don’t see hESC research as murder, then you have a very different opinion than those who do.
(Of course I wonder about those states whose economy benefits from having defense contractors busily building weapons designed to kill people. . . . Anyone saying that they should kick those firms out, or restrict their research?)

“Time for stem cell research.” The San Francisco Chronicle, 2-19-06.
This opinion piece discusses the California Prop. 71 issues and raises a number of question that need to be resolved for embryonic stem cell research to proceed. The author supports hESC research with proper guidelines.

“Of mice, men and stem-cell research.” The San Francisco Chronicle, 2-20-06.
This onion piece discussed the hybrid or chimera research that is going on and argues for regulation and bipartisan support.

“Adult stem cells a better option than embryonic cells.” The Buffalo News, 2-21-06.
This opinion piece argues in favor of adult stem cells over embryonic stem cell research.

Business Heart News

Business Heart News

The Cleveland Clinic has made a patent licensing agreement with firm Bioheart for development of a stem cell technology to treat damaged heart tissue. The news is reported on Red Herring. The treatment involves the transplantation of immature muscle stem cells from the patient’s thigh to the damaged area of the heart. The tehcnology is being tested at a total of 23 sites in the United States and Europe, and animal studies have been done. Bioheart hopes to develop new drugs as part of the procedure.

Autologous Stem Cell Transplant May be Helped by Reovirus

Autologous Stem Cell Transplant May be Helped by Reovirus

Researchers at a biotech firm in Calgary have issued a press release announcing that they have patented a method to use a common reovirus to purge blood stem cells of possible cancerous cells among them. This is an issue when people are receiving autologous stem cell transplants after high intensity chemotherapy. Since chemotherapy kills the beneficial blood cells of the immune system as well as the cancer cells, patients who will undergo chemo often have stem cells extracted from their bone marrow to be transplanted after the chemotherapy is done. This restores the immune system.

However, it is possible for cancer cells to be among the extracted stem cells, resulting in a re-introduction of the cancer with the post-chemo transplant. The researchers in this news have identified a reovirus which uses cancer cells as its host and ultimately kills them. (Reoviruses are members of a particular family of viruses and include the rotavirus, which can cause infant death from diarrhea.) The virus can affect approximately two thirds of human cancers. The reovirus was shows to be effective in purging the blood of cancer cells nearly three years ago; this news is about the patent of a process.