Right to Recover  Winning the Political and Religious Wars over Stem Cell Research in America

© 2007 Yvonne Perry
Right to Recover Song
From pages 96-97 of the galley copy:

Everyone, not just our leaders, has an obligation to respect life globally. I agree that human life is a sacred gift from our Creator. All life is sacred. However, an IVF-derived blastocyst is a cluster of living but undifferentiated cells, and not an entire organism—much less a human being. These spheres of cells are only a few days old and were created in a laboratory. They are not even visible to the naked eye. They do not have body parts, nerve or blood cells; they have yet to become anything! They are undefined, which means that under certain conditions they could become tissue, cells, organs, blood vessels, or, if unhindered in the natural environment of the womb, they could develop into a human being. However, at the point in which these cells are taken for research, they have not taken the form of a human being.

From the Johns Hopkins Medicine essay co-written by professors Faden and Gearhart:

We believe that most Americans have different moral values from the president’s. While we recognize and respect embryos as early forms of human life, we do not believe that embryos in a dish have the same moral status as children and adults. We believe that the obligation to relieve human suffering binds us all and justifies the instrumental use of early embryonic life. And we believe that it is possible to draw morally relevant lines and to enforce them as a matter of national policy.20

In their email to me, Joe and Nina Brown of Bellaire, Texas make a good point about how blastocyst stem cells are a gift from God.

As the centuries have gone by, God has revealed more and more of His wonders to us as we have become ready to receive them. He has given us the ability, coupled with the responsibility, to recognize His gifts as He presents them……Throughout the history of mankind God has continued to reveal ever-increasing life-enhancing knowledge, from herbs to the microscope, surgery, pharmaceuticals and nuclear medicine. We believe that God has chosen to reveal this 14-day window of opportunity before the cells begin to differentiate, as His gift to sustain and prolong life and relieve human suffering. After which, He has given us the gift of creation of life. For both gifts, we thank God.

In July 2006, Presidential Press Secretary Tony Snow said that George W. Bush had to veto increased federal funding for blastocystic stem cell research because the president is against murder. I’m not sure I believe that. After all, he is adamant about sending in more troops to be killed in Iraq. Since most of the blastocyst stem cell lines approved by Mr.ush are not suitable to the development of human therapies, researchers and doctors must have a fresh supply for transplantation. Dr. Curt Freed (University of Colorado Health Sciences Center) uses blastocyst stem cells to make dopamine cells suitable for the brains of Parkinson’s patients and to create insulin cells needed to treat diabetes. He has no other source to pull from. Doctors like these should never be equated to murderers. They don’t kill; they heal!

“Tens of thousands of frozen embryos are thrown away every year,” said Dr. Freed. “It has nothing to do with murder. It has to do with wasting a precious resource. If converting frozen embryos to embryonic stem cells is murder, what is throwing them in the trash?”21

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From pages 147-148 of the galley copy:

Texas

In 2003, two stem cell research bills, one pro-research and one anti-research, were fi led in the Texas Legislature. After the legislation to ban IV-B stem cell research was defeated near the end of the session, the loosely-organized advocates from numerous disease groups (diabetes, Parkinson’s, MS, spinal cord injury, and others) formed TAMR (Texans for Advancement of Medical Research) to lead the effort to protect all forms of stem cell

research in Texas.

In 2005, twelve pro-research bills (ranging from simply protecting IV-B stem cell research from a ban, to protecting the research and constructing ethical guidelines and oversight, to funding all types of stem cell research) were filed, and three anti-research bills. Because state officials at the highest levels threatened to veto any pro-research bill, and TAMR’s legislative team succeeded in blocking the anti-research bills, none of the fifteen pieces of legislation moved out of committee.

In the 2006 Special Session, funding was again attempted to build a stem cell research center. The Tuition Revenue Bond bill did not contain restrictive language, so an attempt was made to amend it in order to ban IV-B stem cell research. As a compromise, the stem cell research facility was pulled out of the bill. Parkinson’s Action Network (PAN) is a national organization whose primary objective is to educate and advocate for funding for Parkinson’s research. Texas State coordinator, Nina Brown, struggles with Parkinson’s disease. In 2003, Texas HB 1175 was presented, which would have criminalized blastocyst stem cell research in Texas. This petite, attractive grandmother, along with husband, Joe, made numerous trips to the state capitol to advocate against that bill and other legislation. The effort has proven to be so effective that no bill criminalizing IV-B stem cell research has made it to either house of the Texas legislature.

Another important outcome of the Browns’ advocacy efforts was the co-founding of Texans for Advancement of Medical Research (TAMR) in 2003. This organization is composed of scientists, physicians, ethicists, leading health groups, and individuals who support biological research in regenerative medicine.

“Our purpose is to raise public awareness on the issues surrounding regenerative biomedical research. We will continue to educate our public officials in Texas and advocate for all those whose health depends on it. Our organization is inclusive. It consists of Jews, Protestants, Catholics, and all those who believe this is a health issue, not a religious issue,” wrote Nina in a document she emailed me.

To further that end, another group focusing on education rather than advocacy, The Alliance for Medical Research (TAMRed), was established. As Secretary and a Founding Board Member, Nina co-wrote an excellent explanation of IVF blastocysts and SCNT. TAMR-ed produced the outstanding video “Regenerative Medicine – Pathways to Cures.”