From: Action Life
To: letters@thecitizen.canwest.com
Sent: Tuesday, December 22, 2009 4:06 PM
Subject: The future disappoints – December 9th
If Robert Sawyer would consider the numerous succesful treatments achieved as a result of adult stem cell research, he could put his disappointment aside. His narrow focus on embryonic stem cell research is the reason he is still waiting for the promise of stem cell research. Embryonic stem cell research, which requires the destruction of a living human embryo has yet to produce a single beneficial treatment in a human patient. On the other hand, adult stem cell research does not involve the destruction of human embryos as the stem cells can be obtained from the patient’s own body tissues, bone marrow and from placenta, amniotic fluid and umbilical cord blood.
Adult stem cell research has resulted in beneficial therapies in patients with scleroderma, cancer, sickle cell anemia, stroke,lupus, multiple sclerosis and many others. In Ottawa, therapies using adult stem cells have helped some patients with multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis and Crohn’s disease. Around the world, adult stem cell research has provided many success stories and offered hope to patients without destroying human embryos.