Monthly Gathering—April 2006

Stem Cell Research The Promise and the Controversy

by Harley Berger, vice president

A stem cell is a primitive type of cell that has the potential to develop into most of the 220 types of cells found in the human body. Some researchers regard them as offering the greatest opportunity for the alleviation of human suffering since the development of antibiotics. Over 100 million Americans and two billion other humans worldwide suffer from diseases that may eventually be treated more effectively with stem cells or even cured. These include, among others: heart disease, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, diabetes and certain types of cancer.

While stem cell research has the potential to positively impact medical science, research using embryonic stem cells has proven to be an immensely sensitive topic. This is because the extraction of stem cells requires the destruction of a human embryo. Some opponents of the research consider the embryos to be human beings and their destruction during the stem cell extraction process morally unacceptable. Others argue that this practice is a slippery slope to reproductive cloning, another hot-button issue.

To help make sense of it all, join us on Saturday, April 15, when our guest speaker will be Michigan State Representative Andy Meisner, (D-Ferndale) who has introduced bills to allow publicly-supported institutions to perform stem cell research, permit the creation of stem cells and retain and strengthen Michigan’s ban on human cloning. Meisner will discuss the potential medical and economic promise of stem cell research and the legislation he supports.

For more background information on stem cells, see: stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/.

Page last updated: Sunday, February 15, 2009