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That there is no need for embryonic stem cell research, because adult stem cell research does the trick.
I saw a congressional hearing with the small scientific research senate committee hearing testimony of scientists about ADULT stem cell research. The chair of the committee was a Repub. Most of the rest of the committee was Democratic. During the hearing it became apparent, and the Dem. members called the committee on it, that the deck was stacked. There were three scientists with experience in the field. One was a leading expert and was in favor of embryonic stem cell research, while stating that adult stem cell research is very valuable and irreplaceable. But embryonic holds a different promise. The second was a female holy roler against embryonic stem cell, period. Her answers about embryonic research were vague, and she always routed things back to how ADULT stem cell research would be better, blah, blah, blah. The senators caught on pretty quickly. She wouldn't even answer directly at first if she was against embryonic. She finally did, after she was pressed on it, after the chair gave in at trying to stop the questioning. The third scientist was not against, but was sort of neutral on it.
The administration's position, I take it, from the tone of the chairman's questions: Adult stem cell research is more valid scientifically, or at the least just as valid scientifically, as embryonic stem cell research, so there is no need to do embryonic stem cell research. So you avoid the whole morality question, since it is unnecessary to do it, anyway. Anyone who wants to do it is just saying that for evil reasons, or political reasons.
That argument won't fool anyone. As the leading expert said, those two types of stem cell research are different. They do different things. We're not sure where embryonic stem cell research would take us, since it hasn't been studied much, which is exactly why it should be. But adult stem cell research is valid and helpful scientifically. They both would be helpful. And because of embryonic's unique characteristics, it has the potential to be helpful across a wider range of diseases and physical handicaps.
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