Mr. Fox Goes to WashingtonMichael J. Fox is urging congress to lift funding bans for embryonic stem-cell research. A bill before the senate now would quash limits Bush imposed in August 2001 (a stop on any further federal-funded stem cell research outside that on the already-existing stem cell 78 lines) and allow research utilizing 400,000 frozen embryos created for in vitro fertilization treatment, most of which face destruction.
So, rather than use these embryos for crucial research, the conservatives would prefer to have them destroyed. I couldn't agree with Mr. Fox more on the subject.
"It's ridiculous. It's so self-defeating for those of us with Parkinson's and other degenerative diseases. We don't want to create Frankenstein or clone our Uncle Charlie so we can play poker with him again. It's nuts. We just want to save lives."
The US has fallen behind the UK, which has already made it plain it will proceed with therapeutic stem cell research, and Spain this week announced it would do the same.
Urge the senate to follow suit.
And visit the
Michael J. Fox Foundation.
