Letter: Bush stands in the way of regeneration

Thursday, May 9, 2002 | 8:45 a.m.

Medical research is on the verge of the greatest achievement ever -- regeneration.

When the process is perfected the procedure will go something like this: If you have a worn-out body part that is impairing your health or threatening your survival, medical scientists will extract undifferentiated cells from your body. These cells will then be induced to produce a replacement part. Your new part will contain only your own cells, so your body will accept it. But King George won't! He has called on Congress to outlaw this research.

This is the premise George Bush gave Congress for outlawing research on regeneration: "... human beings are grown for spare parts ... and this is not acceptable." This premise is completely false.

Four undifferentiated cells are not a human being. And they are not being used to grow spare parts. Your cells would be used to grow a part you need desperately. Bush may believe that four undifferentiated cells are a human being. If so, that human being is you. They are your cells with your DNA; they can't be anyone else.

The House has already done the king's bidding. If the king's religious scruples become the law of the land, regeneration will not happen. So we will always have to make do with used parts. These are in short supply and difficult to obtain. Also, your body does not take kindly to junk-yard parts. They seldom work well or last very long.

VERNON BOSTICK