***BIG CHANGES IN THE WORKS***

***BIG CHANGES IN THE WORKS***

Be sure to stay tuned to this blog over the next couple of weeks. There are some fundamental changes in the works for this blog.

March 11, 2009

Revisiting August 9, 2001 on March 9, 2009.

On March 9, 2009, President Obama signed an executive order to reverse the policies put in place by President Bush regarding research on human embryonic stem cells. In this order, President Obama reversed two key items:

  1. The Presidential statement made on August 9, 2001.
  2. Executive order 13435 made on June 22, 2007.

On August 9, 2001 I watched that presidential address eagerly with my father. This was about a week before I was to be leaving for college to study Biochemistry with hopes of becoming a scientist. Eight years have passed and those dreams have become a reality. You might think that I am happy to see this new found freedom given to our scientists under Obama's administration. At the time President Bush made his statement, I was very angry, but also ignorant. In the 8 years since I have taken numerous courses on ethics, religion and politics through my liberal arts education. I have taken the initiative by attending symposium and discussion groups on bioethics and exploring the issue further through reading

I am happy to see a reduction in the intervention of the government on scientific research in this field. I believe that government intervention in science should be minimal in all cases such that scientific inquiry remains unbiased and free from political coercion. Unfortunately I also believe that this most recent executive order falls far short of maintaining an ethical research standard.

Having effectively overturned both items #1 and #2 above, Obama has demonstrated that [to his administration] human embryos are considered raw materials for exploitation and use by mankind. There is no limitation set forth in this order preventing scientists from forming embryos explicitly for research purposes. Carrying out a procedure like this with the building blocks of human life is highly irresponsible. This reduces life to a very utilitarian purpose and it nears a world where human clones are formed as necessary for the use of the being they are derived from. (Watch the movie, "The Island".)

Embryonic cells are biologically alive but are not necessarily alive in the same way we consider a fully developed human being. As embryos are generated to help those conceive through in vitro fertilization, those same cells (that would otherwise be discarded following in vitro fertilization use) can help others through stem cell research. However it is unethical to pick and chose an egg and sperm to build your own embryos explicitly for stem cell use.

It is a common emotional argument made in this debate is that people are suffering from diseases such as Alzheimer's, paralysis and diabetes and could potentially be cured from this research. They have experienced a setback during the past 8 years. This is not true. I have read reviews indicating that adult stem cells (those not from embryos) are much easier to manipulate than embryonic stem cells. I have even seen figures stating that to date there have been 63 viable treatments developed to date from non-embryonic cells while zero have been developed from embryonic sources (with several notable failures along the way). (I will try to find some peer reviewed articles to post here.)

No one wants people to suffer from these diseases… even President Bush, and yes… even the Evil Dick Cheney. The emotional argument that a restriction on this research made on ethical grounds reduces the hope for these people is a dangerous slippery slope argument in which it is charged that the ends justify the means. I believe Kant discussed the moral implications of this concept (again, I will have to double check that). I would say that the ends, no matter how noble, do not justify unethical means, for if you could save the lives of a thousand suffering cancer patients by ending the life of one innocent infant of only 6 months… would you do it?

March 8, 2009

26 Years ago this past Friday…

Once again I have gone a few weeks without posting. Shame shame on me! It has been hard to motivate myself to write much, but there's always something on my mind.

I recently celebrated my 26th birthday. I know I am still young but 26 seems a bit scary to me! Thirty is suddenly looking closer than twenty.

Overall, I am very proud of what I have accomplished on this planet in the 26 years I have worked through. I have earned my B.S. and M.S. degrees, landed a good job and somehow in this economy have managed to hold on to it. I have a great relationship with a wonderful charming young woman. ;-) I have done some traveling, read lots of books, done some exciting scientific research and learned a lot about the way the world works. Through the process I have asked many questions and answered a few along the way as well. Another year older, another year wiser.

I am excited about what the coming years have to offer and what questions I can answer along the way. I will keep you the reader clued into this as much as I can.

Three things I must comment on in the days to come

  1. I organized a "Tea Party" of my own.
  2. T. O. signing with the Bills!? WTF? Is this a blessing or a curse upon the Bills?
  3. I also must wish a happy birthday to my cousin Eric who shares my birthday of March 5th. Born 10 years after me… almost to the minute!