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The Raelian Movement
for those who are not afraid of the future : http://www.rael.org
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Opinion: Science Shoved Aside in Stem Cell Ruling
http://www.aolnews.com/opinion/article/opinion-stem-cell-ruling-puts-politics-ahead-of-science/19606708
Updated: 17 hours 31 minutes ago
Susan L. Solomon
(Aug. 25) -- Federal funding for stem cell research is once again
being held back by politics. Monday, a federal court, in granting an
injunction against federally funded human embryonic stem cell
research, allowed a vocal minority to hold science hostage to a narrow
political agenda.
Judge Royce Lamberth's injunction was issued on the grounds that the
guidelines for human embryonic stem cell research "clearly violate"
the Dickey-Wicker Amendment, which prohibits the Department of Health
and Human Services from using appropriated funds for the creation of
human embryos for research purposes or for research in which human
embryos are destroyed.
Dickey-Wicker was created in 1996, before the field of stem cell
research even existed, and it was created to be a deterrent to
abortion, not to slow down the most promising medical research of our
time. But the opponents of stem cell research, in their determination
to block the progress of science, are using the old law to new
purposes. It will mean, among other things, that more than 400,000
frozen embryos left over from IVF treatments that could have been used
for medical research will instead be discarded as medical waste. Is
this what is meant by "pro life"?
It's time for Congress to take a stand, remove the Dickey-Wicker
Amendment and finally untie the hands of our scientists by allowing
the National Institutes of Health to fund the derivation of new stem
cell lines. The current restrictive federal policy on human embryonic
stem cell research is holding back our best scientific minds and
discouraging young scientists from entering this incredibly promising
and dynamic area of endeavor.
Although we are confident that the court's decision will not be
upheld, the net effect of this ruling is to slow the progress of
advancing revolutionary new therapies that have the potential to
advance cures and successful treatments for a broad range of diseases
and conditions, including diabetes, cancer, AIDS, ALS, Parkinson's
disease, Alzheimer's disease, spinal-cord injury, blindness,
cardiovascular disease, and bone and cartilage regeneration.
For eight years under President George W. Bush, human embryonic stem
cell research had been a hostage of presidential politics. The
previous administration's ban cost researchers precious time in the
race for new cures, treatments and discoveries, and it put the United
States at a serious disadvantage in its position as an international
leader in scientific progress. Last year's executive order by
President Barack Obama changed that, lifting many restrictions on
federal funding for research on new stem cell lines derived from human
embryos, and reaffirming our nation's determination to be in the front
line of science, not the rear guard.
But Monday's opinion by Judge Lamberth brings scientists to a worse
state than the Bush administration days. Ironically, now research will
even be banned on the human embryonic stem cell lines that the Bush
administration approved and the NIH funded for eight years.
Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health,
stated Tuesday that the NIH will stop its review of roughly a dozen
grants for stem cell research worth between $15 million and $20
million, will freeze the renewal of another 22 grants worth $54
million and will not even look at 50 new grant applications for
important research using human embryonic stem cells. There is no
clearer proof than that of the chilling effect this decision will have
on medical research in this country. The American people, the
president and the Congress clearly support embryonic stem cell
research directed toward the curing of disease and want the United
States to be encouraging, not blocking, medical research. But Monday,
the courts dashed the hopes of tens of millions of Americans.
Five years ago, the New York Stem Cell Foundation was created to
encourage and support the most advanced stem cell research possible.
We will continue steadfastly and tirelessly to support and advance
this work because of its urgency and its importance to the lives of
our loved ones, and of patients everywhere.
Susan L. Solomon is co-founder and CEO of the New York Stem Cell Foundation.
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WARNING FROM RAEL: For those who don't use their intelligence at its full
capacity, the label "selected by RAEL" on some articles does not mean that I
agree with their content or support it. "Selected by RAEL" means that I believe
it is important for the people of this planet to know about what people think or
do, even when what they think or do is completely stupid and against our
philosophy. When I selected articles in the past about stupid Christian
fundamentalists in America praying for rain, I am sure no Rael-Science reader
was stupid enough to believe that I was supporting praying to change the
weather. So, when I select articles which are in favor of drugs, anti-semitic,
anti-Jewish, racist, revisionist, or inciting hatred against any group or
religion, or any other stupid article, it does not mean that I support them. It
just means that it is important for all human beings to know about them. Common
sense, which is usually very good among our readers, is good enough to
understand that. When, like in the recent articles on drug decriminalization, it
is necessary to make it clearer, I add a comment, which in this case was very
clear: I support decriminalizing all drugs, as it is stupid to throw depressed
and sad people (as only depressed and sad people use drugs) in prison and ruin
their life with a criminal record. That does not mean that there is any change
to the Message which says clearly that we must not use any drug except for
medical purposes. The same applies to the freedom of expression which must be
absolute. That does not mean again of course that I agree with anti-Jews,
antisemites, racists of any kind or anti-Raelians. But by knowing your enemies
or the enemies of your values, you are better equipped to fight them. With love
and respect of course, and with the wonderful sentence of the French philosopher
Voltaire in mind: "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death
your right to say it".
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"Ethics" is simply a last-gasp attempt by deist conservatives and
orthodox dogmatics to keep humanity in ignorance and obscurantism,
through the well tried fermentation of fear, the fear of science and
new technologies.
There is nothing glorious about what our ancestors call history,
it is simply a succession of mistakes, intolerances and violations.
On the contrary, let us embrace Science and the new technologies
unfettered, for it is these which will liberate mankind from the
myth of god, and free us from our age old fears, from disease,
death and the sweat of labour.
Rael
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