Stop the Politics—Stem Cells Save Lives!

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist’s dramatic decision to break with the White House by supporting expanded federal funding for embryonic stem cell research exposed a deep split among Republicans and set the stage for President Bush’s first veto.
— article from USA Today

Last Friday GOP Presidential hopeful Frist broke with the President over Federal funding for stem cell research. My question is “What took you so long, Doctor?”

Many doctors agree that cell therapies could soon bring dramatic cures for Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, kidney disease, MS, Alzheimers, Juvenile Diabetes, Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, leukemia, cancer, and a host of other diseases. Cell therapies have also shown great promise in helping to repair catastrophic spinal injuries, and helping victims of paralysis regain movement. So why did Frist, who is a doctor himself, go along with Bush in 2001? Could it have been, oh, politics maybe?

Though stem cells can come from adult organs and tissues and umbilical cord blood, the best sources for the multi-morphing pluripotent stem cells are therapeutic cloning, aborted fetuses and frozen embryos from fertility treatments. Many anti-abortion groups want to ban stem cell treatments as somehow “encouraging” abortions. But even conservatives like Nancy Reagan support it’s use for curing diseases like Alzheimers. Proponents see stem cell donation as a way to benefit others after fertility treatments and abortions. Here’s the ethical question for thoughtful pro-lifers: would women have abortions just to get stem cells? Of course not. Let’s stop the politics, Republicans. Stem cells save lives.

Four years ago the Bush administration marched in lock step with anti-abortion groups to ban federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. Bush was applauded by many pro-lifers who scarcely understood or cared about the medical issues. Another bill to increase federal funding for embryonic stem cell research is coming up for a Senate vote, but Bush has already promised to veto it. The trouble is that GOP Senators are waking up to the reality that Bush is down in the polls, is a lame duck, and that they need to distance themselves from his extreme positions. I have a suggestion for the constituents back home: vote for the party that is working for real health care. Vote Democrat. -T