Reaction to stem cell breakthrough
Filed Under: CLR, Life Issues, Medicine, Science
Rev. Robert Fleischmann, national director of Christian Life Resources—a WELS-affiliated organization that seeks to educate people about what God's Word says about the value and sanctity of human life—is calling the recent breakthrough in stem cell research "phenomenal news."
Reports released Nov. 20 indicate that two sets of researchers have successfully reprogrammed human skin cells to act like embryonic stem cells without killing human life. The use of these new cells in research could pave the way to therapies that do not raise the moral concerns associated with the destruction of embryos.
"Because of this technology there is no reason to destroy embryos to extract stem cells," says Fleischmann. "It means in the name of research we will not be destroying life in its embryonic state."
But Fleischmann cautions against expecting any major breakthroughs soon in treating diseases with skin cell research. The same was true with embryonic research. "Both are only potentially promising because we're still dealing with theory," he says.
And Fleischmann says people should not expect the recent development to completely silence the debate over embryonic research. "Advocates will continue to argue for it because they have a vested financial interest in pursuing it."
