Funding for unacceptable science

To the editor:

The U.S. House voted May 24 to allow government funding for embryo stem-cell research. U.S. Rep. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania believes 110 million Americans are suffering because the government doesn't fund this research. He said, "Life does not begin in a laboratory dish."

Normally, life doesn't begin in petri dishes or test tubes. However, human embryologist Ward Kischer states, "Virtually every embryologist and every embryology textbook says fertilization marks the beginning of life."

The Journal of Science recently warned that "it is nearly certain that any clinical benefits of embryo stem-cell research are years, and maybe decades, away." Clinical trials show embryo stem cells are unstable and produce lethal tumors in host animals.

Meanwhile, adult stem-cell research using umbilical-cord blood cells and adult tissue has dramatically advanced and successfully treated juvenile diabetes, Parkinson's disease, sickle-cell anemia, cardiac damage and 58 other conditions, including spinal-cord injuries.

If embryo stem-cell research is taxpayer funded, our overburdened government would spend tens of thousands of dollars to produce one embryo for research. Think about it. If your friends told you to jump off a bridge, would you? Why should we pay for morally unacceptable science showing little promise?

CHRISTINE E. STEPHENS, Cape Girardeau