Campaign Life says new findings should mandate changes to Canadian Bill C-56
MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota, June 21, 2002 (LSN.ca) - Adult stem cells may be versatile enough to derive a host of specialized cells for research purposes, according to findings by researchers at the University of Minnesota published in the journal Nature.
Dr. Catherine Verfaillie and her team at the university's Stem Cell Institute injected single cells into mouse embryos. When the mice were checked after birth, descendants of the injected cells managed to engraft themselves into brain, retina, lung, heart, muscle, liver, intestine, kidney, spleen, marrow and skin tissue. In another test, researchers injected cells into the veins of mice tails, and found that they later successfully engrafted into blood, marrow, spleen, lung, liver and intestine tissue.
Commenting on the study in the National Post, Dr. Abdullah Daar of the University of Toronto Joint Centre for Bioethics said, "If this is absolutely true, I think it will change everything." Dr. Abdullah continued: "Should adult stem cells ever prove to be as good as [embryonic] cells, then why would anybody want to bother with embryonic stem cells?"
"This newest finding by scientists is wonderful news and comes at the most appropriate time as Canada prepares legislation," says Jim Hughes National President of Campaign Life Coalition. "The government is poised to pass Bill C-56 which will allow experimentation and research on human embryos which kill the embryo. CLC calls on Parliament to amend Bill C-56 in light of these new studies to remove embryonic stem cell research from the bill. Opposition parties called for a three-year moratorium to explore the potential of adult stem cells.