Has Anyone Heard Anything About Stem Cells Recently?

[MoonlessNight]

Michael Flynn brings up a good point: what happened to all those stories about stem cells?

You may recall that in the early-to-mid-2000's one of the big debates was about the use of embryonic stem cells. These were hyped as an inevitable cure for nearly every disease, with those who opposed their use (since getting them required slaughtering unborn children) were painted as troglodytes who opposed scientific progress. Induced pluripotent stem cells, which are obtained from adults without any loss of life, were either not mentioned at all or were mocked as unworkable or at least less effective than embryonic stem cells. The fact that embryonic stem cells were often rejected while induced pluriopotent stem cells would not be (since they are created from the patient's own cells) was absolutely not reported on.

Since that time there have been great advances in the use of induced pluripotent stem cells, with the 2012 Nobel Prize for Medicine being awarded to the doctors who made them workable in treatment. But not much has come out of the use of embryonic stem cells, and in some cases have led to cancer. And now we do not hear about stem cells in the news any more. It's a curious thing, isn't it?

 

[mark46]

Michael Flynn brings up a good point: what happened to all those stories about stem cells?

You may recall that in the early-to-mid-2000's one of the big debates was about the use of embryonic stem cells. These were hyped as an inevitable cure for nearly every disease, with those who opposed their use (since getting them required slaughtering unborn children) were painted as troglodytes who opposed scientific progress. Induced pluripotent stem cells, which are obtained from adults without any loss of life, were either not mentioned at all or were mocked as unworkable or at least less effective than embryonic stem cells. The fact that embryonic stem cells were often rejected while induced pluriopotent stem cells would not be (since they are created from the patient's own cells) was absolutely not reported on.

Since that time there have been great advances in the use of induced pluripotent stem cells, with the 2012 Nobel Prize for Medicine being awarded to the doctors who made them workable in treatment. But not much has come out of the use of embryonic stem cells, and in some cases have led to cancer. And now we do not hear about stem cells in the news any more. It's a curious thing, isn't it?

Are you expecting discussions on OBOB? The research continues. Currently, bone marrow transplants are the most important use. There are hundreds of scientific papers and articles available. You can use your search engines to find them. In any case, he is a discussion from the Mayo Clinic.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/stem-cell-transplant/in-depth/stem-cells/art-20048117

 

[classicalhero]

They hype of ESC was typical of how modern "science" works. Denigrate those who oppose your view and promote your view as the only reasonable option evn if the veidence goes against your view. It sound very familiar to the climate change hysteria we now have and the belief tha man in the main contributor.

 

[MikeK]

I have. Just four years ago I knew zero people who had experienced stem cell treatments, today I know several.

 

[MoonlessNight]

I have. Just four years ago I knew zero people who had experienced stem cell treatments, today I know several.

Embryonic or adult induced pluripotent?

 

[MikeK]

Embryonic or adult induced pluripotent?

Presumably adult, but I don't know for certain. My impression is that embryonic stem cell research never did live up to hopes.

 

[MoonlessNight]

Presumably adult, but I don't know for certain. My impression is that embryonic stem cell research never did live up to hopes.

This is part of my point. When there was still hope for embryonic stem cell research we heard again and again and again that only embryonic stem cells had any chance, and they were frequently referred to as such. Now that adult induced pluripotent stem cells are becoming more useful they are referred to be the general "stem cells" when they are referred to at all; I'm not sure when the last time I saw the news refer to them at all. It's certainly been years, at least.

 

[MikeK]

This is part of my point. When there was still hope for embryonic stem cell research we heard again and again and again that only embryonic stem cells had any chance, and they were frequently referred to as such. Now that adult induced pluripotent stem cells are becoming more useful they are referred to be the general "stem cells" when they are referred to at all; I'm not sure when the last time I saw the news refer to them at all. It's certainly been years, at least.

Yep, sometimes research doesn't pan out the way we think it will. That's why we bother with research.

 

[MoonlessNight]

Yep, sometimes research doesn't pan out the way we think it will. That's why we bother with research.

The whole point is that the research did go somewhere: you yourself said that you know people who have been helped by stem cell treatments. But the research that required murdering innocent children does not seem to have gone anywhere.

We could still see stories being done on the work on adult induced pluripotent cells, but there are not such stories. The 2012 Nobel Prize was awarded for work in this area, but do you remember seeing any stories about that?

Indeed it is almost as if the reason that the media was interested in embryonic stem cell research was that it could be used as a stick to bludgeon backwards thinkers with, and when that use evaporated so too did the coverage.

 

[FlaviusAetius]

It's good to know ESC hasn't achieved the miracle claim secularists had hoped and promised. I would hate to know more good came out of evil, just like those vaccines that came from those two abortions decades ago.

It's always easier to justify evils if you pull some good out of it. Honestly I still feel like no human should be given God's salvation since we all take part in making ourselves healthy and vaccinated through experimentation on the cells of unwanted fetuses. Just feels like we're all no better than cannibals.

 

[Cos-play]

Current state of Stem Cell research: http://stemcells.nih.gov/research/Pages/Default.aspx

There's a whole section of ESC research both in the US and aboard.

Basically (and I'm no doctor) it looks like basic research is being done on ESC and products and medications are being design using adult and lab created stem cells using that basic research as a guide.

So I guess it doesn't matter where the stem cells begin used for the product or medications use ESC or not any stem cell related therapy can be traced back to ESC research somewhere.

 

[classicalhero]

Yep, sometimes research doesn't pan out the way we think it will. That's why we bother with research.

That is not true. We have been researching both form since about the 60's and only Adult Stem cells have shown any promise since that time. Embryonic stem cells never had any chance were only ever hyped up as the cure all of cure alls, when there was never any substance to the claims.

 

[LoAmmi]

That is not true. We have been researching both form since about the 60's and only Adult Stem cells have shown any promise since that time. Embryonic stem cells never had any chance were only ever hyped up as the cure all of cure alls, when there was never any substance to the claims.

The problem is I'm not sure who does the hype. Like they interview a scientist and they say that it is believed that embryonic stem cells have amazing potential to cure a multitude of diseases but more research needs to be done. The headline is "STEM CELLS TO CURE EVERYTHING!!!" and the scientist is scratching his head.

Kind of like if the Pope says that homosexual people should be accepted as humans, the headline is "CHURCH TO ACCEPT HOMOSEXUALS!"

 

[Hetta]

Stem cell research is very much in use. It is in use at the institution where I work.

 

[MoonlessNight]

Stem cell research is very much in use. It is in use at the institution where I work.

I'll ask you the same question I ask everyone: embryonic or adult induced pluripotent?