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F.D.A. Delays Human Trials of Embryonic Stem Cell Research Treatment

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 21, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Last week the Geron Corporation, a California based biopharmaceuticals company, announced that its plans to begin human testing of an embryonic stem cell compound has been delayed by the Food and Drug Administration.  Embryonic stem cell research has never been used in human trials, making the F.D.A.'s decision particularly important. 

Geron had to delay testing of the treatment on patients with spinal cord injuries after the corporation received an oral directive from the F.D.A. 

Steven Bauer, chief of the F.D.A.’s cell and tissue therapy branch, said that “particularly strong” evidence of a stem cell treatment’s effectiveness would have to be obtained in order to move forward and this concern was shared by Mercedes Serabian, a supervisory toxicologist for the F.D.A.

LifeSiteNews.com calls concerning the reasons why Geron’s proposed trials were delayed were not returned by the F.D.A.

Unlike adult stem cell research, which has experienced proven success, embryonic stem cell research has been labeled dangerous and ineffective.  

In 2007, Michelle Cretella, MD, Fellow of the American College of Pediatricians asserted: "Not only does embryonic research require taking the life of human embryos, it also prolongs needless suffering by delaying the development of more promising adult stem cell treatments and cures,"

This point was previously addressed by Dr. David Prentice in an interview in which he responded  to a letter by 80 nobel laureates encouraging President Bush to continue the funding of destructive embryonic stem cell research: “Adult stem cells have shown success at forming many specific tissues so far, certainly more than human embryonic stem cells in the laboratory.”  He also quoted another researcher who said, "More important, there's a risk of tumors. If you're not very careful when coaxing these early cells to differentiate - to form nerve cells and the like - you risk contaminating the newly differentiated cells with the stem cells. Injected into the body, [embryonic] stem cells can produce tumors."

Furthermore, embryonic stem cell research comes at the cost of human life, as Prentice affirmed: “Scientifically there is no disputing that we are a human being even at the one-cell stage. It has never been acceptable to sacrifice one set of human lives for the potential benefit of others (and they are only potential benefits at this point). Human embryonic stem cell research assigns different values to different human beings, designating some as people and some as property.”

See related LifeSiteNews.com articles:

American College of Pediatricians Calls for End to Embryonic Stem Cell Research
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/may/07051403.html

UK Researcher: Cord Blood Real Potential for Cures, Not Embryonic Stem Cells - Part 1
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/aug/06081804.html

An Interview with Expert: The Truth About Stem Cells
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2001/feb/010227a.html

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