| User | Comment |
|---|
Frostbrand  | | posted 13-Jan-2008 3:52pm |
Your friend apparently doesn't know that before he died Reeve was showing some improvement, including being able to move his fingers. |
| JessicaWoman99 | | posted 13-Jan-2008 3:55pm |
No I do not |
Enheduanna  | | posted 13-Jan-2008 4:33pm |
Absolutely. |
| thecomic22 | | posted 13-Jan-2008 5:06pm |
I don't know hardly anything about it, so I can't say either way. |
Iseult  | | posted 13-Jan-2008 6:02pm |
I don't have an opinion on this matter. |
bill  | | posted 13-Jan-2008 6:12pm |
yes, though I'm skeptical of its promise |
Galomorro  | | posted 13-Jan-2008 6:21pm |
Yes. |
| Melf | | posted 13-Jan-2008 7:02pm |
I don't even know what it is. |
| romkey | | posted 13-Jan-2008 7:17pm |
Yes, I definitely support stem cell research.
Understanding how to make it more effective is why it's research... |
| Amanda | | posted 13-Jan-2008 10:16pm |
I really don't know enough about it to say. |
cloudhugger  | | posted 13-Jan-2008 11:27pm |
Don't know, not enough imfo on that and I'm not going to research it now. Too many secrets being held from the public on scientific research. |
| icurok | | posted 14-Jan-2008 9:27am |
I think there should be research into the medical benefits of stem cells, but that's not the same as supporting it. I don't wear my stem cell jersey and cheer from the touchline. |
| Gomezy3k | | posted 14-Jan-2008 9:50am |
Definitely. We need research in any and every area possible. |
| icurok | | (reply to Melf) posted 14-Jan-2008 9:52am |
When you were a week old (and by that I mean 1 week from conception) you were no more than a tiny bundle of cells called a blastocyst. Some of these cells were embryonic stem cells which have a remarkable property. Many cells are capable of dividing through cell division and thus creating a new copy of itself. Stem cells are capable of dividing into entirely new types of cells. Embryonic stem cells have the potential to divide into every single kind of cell in your body. The practical upshot of this in nature is that just one fertilized egg can multiply and diversify into all the bits that make up a whole living thing. The practical upshot for medical science is that if you take a bunch of stem cells, figure out how to re-program them and then say the magic word, you can grow new bodily tissue. The technology is in its infancy, but the potential is for replacement organs, replacement nerve tissue for the repair of spinal injuries and skin grafts. It's already being used to help replace lost bone marrow in leukaemia patients. |
| jettles | | posted 14-Jan-2008 9:53am |
yes, yes, yes...... and it has been shown to be much more effective in some areas rather than others. |
| Biggles | | posted 14-Jan-2008 10:48am |
Definitely - it could be the penicillin, or smallpox eradication of this century. |
| Melf | | (reply to icurok) posted 14-Jan-2008 11:44am |
Ohhhh. Thanks  |
| icurok | | (reply to Melf) posted 14-Jan-2008 12:10pm |
And of course, I hope that you can appreciate exactly why this technology is so controversial. Many people believe that the soul is created at the moment of conception and that therefore creating embryos for the specific purpose of extracting stem cells for medical use is seen as immoral. President Bush has vetoed bills in the US to loosen the restrictions on the federal funding of stem cell research. |
| cerealkiller | | posted 14-Jan-2008 1:22pm |
You should have a link to esplain this whole thing. Don't care really though. |
| kcthedog | | posted 15-Jan-2008 12:49am |
Yes, As controversial as this subject may be, if obtained from proper sources stem cell research holds promising results for future generations. |
| Melf | | (reply to icurok) posted 18-Jan-2008 11:13am |
 That's crazy. I'm surprised that this hasn't come up in Theology/RE, instead of the typical abortion and euthanasia arguments.
I was watching an episode of QI last night where Stephen Fry was saying that you could feed the whole world with a single embryonic stem cell from a chicken. Baffling. |
| icurok | | (reply to Melf) posted 18-Jan-2008 11:38am |
Well, yes you could. But he also mentioned that the technology is so expensive that a chicken burger would set you back about $2500. Having said that, if the technology used to create lab grown meat accelerates at approximately the same rate as computer hardware over the last 50 years then the idea of feeding the whole world isn't that far fetched. There is more computer circuitry in your mobile phone than there was in Apollo 11. |
| Melf | | (reply to icurok) posted 18-Jan-2008 12:14pm |
Wow. |
| they | | posted 19-Jan-2008 11:10pm |
I'm very torn about any issue involving medical research.
I'm concerned for the planet if we ever get to a point where they start curing most diseases. |
