Letter: No need to use embryonic stem cells

Thursday, June 28, 2007 | 7:22 a.m.

Once again, an emotional argument is made by a letter writer in support of embryonic stem cell research, and, once again, the argument is wrong. A reasonable search of the Internet would reveal that after three decades of mouse embryonic stem cell and almost nine years of human embryonic cell experimentation, the recorded results are uncontrollable cell growth and tumors.

It will take a decade or more of further expensive research to even determine the safety and usefulness of human embryonic stem cells to treat a human condition. But virtually every byproduct of a live birth contains stem cells rivaling embryonic stem cells for their adaptability.

Paul Seidman, in his June 26 letter, raises several sad cases of those suffering from tragic diseases incurable to date. We sympathize with the afflicted and their loved ones, but we must consider exactly what is at stake.

Every embryo left to its development will result in a human being; human embryos cannot develop into anything other than a human person. Destroy a human embryo, destroy a human being! President Bush's vetoes are based on simple morality.

With existing alternatives, destruction of a human embryo is morally unacceptable and unnecessary. Embryonic cell research has produced nothing other than failure and promises nothing more, whereas using nonembryonic stem cells has already helped patients with more than 70 conditions during clinical trials.

Conditions helped cover the entire human body , including Parkinson tremors, brain damage, cancer, diabetes, heart repair, multiple sclerosis and muscular dystrophy .

William F. Brennan, Las Vegas