I understand that life is created at conception, however when elective termination is done prior to implantation of only 3 of the 8 embryo’s for the mothers safety. The remaining 5 should still be considered a gift to science. In the high regards we give to organ donation. If a organ is not usuable for a donor, it will be donated to research to find cures and treatments for many medical conditions that science is working on. I have never heard of any case of asking someone to concieve just for the purpose of research.
I see many trauma’s working in a medical facility and if we are one step closer to creating a better quality of life for the individual and caregivers, I think this should continue to be in the forefront of research.

We know that those who support stem cell research are, for the most part, well-meaning and concerned people who are propelled by their desire to help those who are suffering. We also acknowledge that most scientists are interested in the same thing.

When reviewing the behavior of mankind in general, however, one can clearly see that variances in human nature are wide.There always were, are, and always will be those whose nature is open to corruption. There will be immoral, unscrupulous individuals forming “lines” in the shadows of the black market to provide those “fetus factories” you speak of. Where there is a need, ranging from those truly suffering to the vain person looking to “iron” out some wrinkles, someone will be there to profit from it. There will be more heinous crimes perpetrated, more bodies of missing pregnant women with fetuses ripped out of their bellies (as we have seen in the recent past), and women offering their unborn and unwanted fetuses for the “bucks” to feed narcotic habits or just the money, kidnappings for purposes of impregnation…the possible evil ramifications are staggering. These potential victims are living, breathing people too, who’d be looking out for them? Truth is stranger than fiction, my friend. It doesn’t just begin and end in a clinical “petri dish”. Those who think this is not a legitimate concern are thinking naively.

As for the “…liquid in the petri dish…”, is it or is it not specifically “human liquid/cells” in that petri dish? Would they, given the chance, develop into a giraffe or, dare I say it, a “…living, breathing…”human baby? The answer is obvious, however great the desire is to avoid the answer, even if it’s for a presumed noble cause.

There must be a better answer to help those who suffer, while still defending the vulnerable. That’s what we should all band together to find.

Thank you.

Perhaps, conservatives could look at embryonic stem cell research differently. Once, the embryo is removed — it is either incinerated (truly dead) — or it can live on in another human being — even a young child who deserves to have a chance at life instead of suffering a horrible death because there are not sufficient cures for that child.

I am pro-choice- acondom, the pill, abstenence- CHOOSE!
Murder is not a choice!

Oh, it is the very same thing as murder only in this fashion it is legal. People will say what ever to make themselves “feel better” about what they are doing. For example, a woman will say, “It’s MY body and I can do what I want”! No the main issue here is not YOUR body, but a BABY! Or, well but if it improves a persons quality of life! I don’t know that it would help me to know that a baby was disected so I could be better off.
There are no more morals in country anymore. Possible 20 people witnessed or knew of a 15 year old being gang raped and beaten for 2 1/2 hours and did nothing to help her? I use this example only because it is in the front news today but you see what I mean. I DEFINATELY do not want ANY of my tax dollars going to this research! Am I given a choice?
So very disgusted with people. It is very sad to say the least.

I thought umbilical stem cells are superior to embryo cells. Stem cells are being stored and donated every day at every hospital in America from the umbilical cords of healthy term babies after delivery. NO life has to be detroyed in the name of science or medicine. Embryonic Stem Cell Research is old news. The future is in umbilical cord blood banking!

I think that research should continue in this field, but how are these scientist are going to obtain all the “material” they need to accomplish their work?

Perhaps this will be an excuss for many women to terminate their pregnancy. They will have the perfect “alibi” to feel good about killing their babies in the name of science.

I just completed my thesis documentary film on the Stem Cell research debate. I interviewed Dr. James Thomson from UW-Madison for the doc. He is the scientist who discovered how to grow embryonic stem cells in laboratory environment. He is also the co-discoverer of the new IPS (Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells), which are skin cells that have been genetically altered back to their embryonic stem cell state. According to Dr. Thomson, they act exactly like embryonic stem cells in the laboratory – thus far.

During the production I had the opportunity to interview over a hundred people on streets in four different cities. It amazed me that there is such confusion, misunderstanding and downright lies about this research. In my documentary I sought to clear up some of the misinformation and provide the audience with the facts regarding the embryonic stem cell’s origins, alternatives and research purpose and goals.

Embryonic Stem Cells used in research come from left over IVF procedures. They do not come from aborted fetuses. Women typically have eight to ten eggs removed for fertilization in a Petri dish. The zygotes (fertilized eggs) are incubated for seven to ten days – the same amount of time that a zygote needs to develop into a blastocyst as it travels through the fallopian tube down to the uterus. Once the incubated eggs have reached the blastocyst stage, doctors remove then grade them. They choose the best ones, usually two to four and implant them into the woman. They freeze the remaining six to eight blastocyst in case the couple needs to try again or wants to have more children. It varies, but often times couples are left with the difficult decision of what to do with the remaining frozen blastocyst. In actuality, they are left with only three options: donate to science, donate to other couples or have the blastocyst destroyed. This is the point of contention in this debate. It is not about aborted fetuses – its about those three options. This is the only place that embryonic stem cell researchers get their cells. We are not talking about chopped up aborted fetuses tissue here. That is one the major misconceptions out there about this research.

My goal with the thesis documentary was to provide the audience with the opportunity to decide for themselves what to do with the remaining frozen blastocyst. There are too many other docs out there that feed you lies, mislead you and misinform you or worse try to pull on your heart strings to get you sympathetic to the cause. Personally, I am OK with whatever you chose to do. You have a right to your opinion, but you should try to make that decision based on the facts.

The film is entitled “Lines in the Sand”. It will air on Montana PBS this November and then in other States over the coming months. Or you can buy a copy from me. Just email me at mvlfilms@aol.com.

Yes, I know ALL the cells used for stem cell research do not come just from fertility clinics. Umbilical cord blood is full of blood stem cells, capable of becoming any type of blood cells, and with a little prompting, can be used for other types of needed stem cells. People bank their infant’s cord blood because it can be frozen and used if the child develops a type of cancer or other life-threatening disease. If the parents choose not to do that, it is discarded or donated for stem cell research. Some adult cells can also be used, but the gold standard is infant zygotic stem cells, the kind that are in discarded fertilized eggs. An aborted fetus has cells that have already differentiated into organ systems, so they are not a good source of stem cells for research. You were right to say that fertilized eggs, ova and sperm are all only “potential life.” Ask any woman who has been through several rounds of fertility treatment – a fertilized egg does not a baby make. It has to properly implant into the uterus, grow a placenta and begin to develop normally into a viable pregnancy – that is where God makes the miracle! Anyone can mix sperm and eggs in a test tube and come up with fertilized eggs, but only God can make a baby!

Just from reading the comments on this one site, it is obvious there is a real need for education on embryonic stem cells. Embryonic stem cells do not come from embryos or fetuses, they come from the zygote,(which is a precursor of a embryo or fetus). The zygote will never be an embryo, fetus, or a baby/human without having a uterus to implant.
Once people can understand this and the fact that the zygotes used for stem cell research would be destroyed if not used. Maybe then they can get past saying it is murder, or it is taking a life to use embryonic stem cells for research.
No, it is not wrong in my opinion. What better way to utilize them than to improve the quality of life for those with debilitating deseases?