dianaschnuth

While I don’t usually talk about politics / morality / touchy subjects on my blog, I did want to make mention of this:

WASHINGTON (CNN) — President Obama signed an executive order Monday repealing a Bush-era policy that limited federal tax dollars for embryonic stem cell research.

Obama’s move overturns an order signed by President Bush in 2001 that barred the National Institutes of Health from funding research on embryonic stem cells beyond using 60 cell lines that existed at that time.

I’m not a biologist, or a geneticist, or a scientist of any type. However, I do know enough about cell biology and DNA and related sciences to be strongly supportive of stem cell research. Stem cell research may likely lead to cures for neurological diseases that have plagued my husband’s family, and who knows what other good it could lead to.

In my admittedly layman’s opinion, this is a huge step in the right direction for science.

Oddly enough, the specific quote I had been hoping to include here has been edited out of CNN’s article since I first read it, and has been replaced with Nancy Reagan’s thankful statement to President Obama in response to him lifting the ban.

The quote I had intended to include — and would have posted via Twitter earlier today, had it been under 140 characters — referred to the fact that massive numbers of embryos are destroyed in fertility clinics, and that those embryos can now be used to save the lives of others.

This has been one of my own main points in the discussion on stem cell research. Not to sound like I’m belittling human life, but the first comparison that comes to mind is dumpster diving: fetching perfectly good unwanted foodstuffs (and other items) out of someone else’s trash, then either using them yourself or donating them to charity. It was going to a landfill somewhere, anyway; isn’t it better that it be used for a good cause? It was already at the end of its original presumed usefulness, whether it was a head of cabbage or Ms. Suleman’s ninth embryo.

Like I said, I don’t usually venture out into sensitive territory, but I felt this deserved mentioning. I welcome your opinion in the comments, whether or not you agree with me on this.