by Hilary White and Steve Jalsevac
TORONTO, April 19, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Eminent Victoria microbiologist, Clement Persaud PhD, has published a letter to the editor of the National Post this week scolding the Post for its editorial bias in favour of embryonic stem cell research. The self-described “conservative” National Post went even further than is usual in the mainstream press, saying that not only should existing embryos be killed for their parts, but that new “fresh” cloned embryos should be created for the purpose.
The Post editor wrote, “We must abandon this country’s overly timid approach to embryonic stem cell research.”
The story revolved around a significant scientific breakthrough reported by LifeSiteNews.com April 4, in which a team of researchers had created entire new bladders for patients suffering from spina bifida. On April 10, the National Post picked up the story and published an editorial saying that the breakthrough was further proof of the necessity for embryonic stem cell research and cloning.
The actual research, however, had little to do with stem cells, whether embryonic or adult and nothing whatever to do with cloning. The cells that created what the scientists had called the “neo-bladders” were differentiated already to be specific to the bladder. They were not stem cells but had been obtained by biopsy from patients’ existing bladders that had been damaged by disease.
Persaud said that to connect the successful creation of the bladders to embryo cells was a “quantum leap.” He wrote that despite the hype and years of attempts, not a single peer-reviewed report has been made of sustained clinical benefit with embryonic stem cells. “They deliver promises,” he writes, “but no results. By contrast, adult and cord blood stem cells have contributed to over 65 treatments or cures.”
To say that Canada has an “overly timid” approach to the experimental use of human beings in the embryonic stage flies in the face of two years of sustained efforts by the pro-life movement to defeat Bill C-6 (formerly C-13), passed March 2004, and which allows for embryonic stem cell research. Pro-life advocates revealed that the bill would open the door to nearly unrestricted research including cloning.
Persaud told the Post, “Many Canadians, have profound concerns, transcending medical benefit, concerning creating life simply for the purpose of destroying it for stem cells, when there is an ethical, fruitful alternative…”
Persaud was among the few scientists in Canada to testify against legislation passed two years ago legalizing embryo research and cloning. He also spoke against a plan by a member of the US President’s Council on Bioethics, to create “quasi” embryos and harvest their stem cells. Although the plan was approved by a number of eminent Catholics, Persaud said the proposal would simply be “cloning to produce an aberrant human embryo,” that would then be killed for its parts.
The National Post is known for publishing more columns leaning toward social conservative views than most newspapers, thereby providing some balance to a mostly uniform social leftist Canadian media establishment. However, editorially, the Post’s owners have parroted the usual establishment social liberalism.
In addition to the current editorialÂadvocating embryonic stem cell research, recent unsigned Post editorials have opposed raising the age of consent for gay sex to 18 and have supported legalized prostitution and legalized marijuana use.
The paper, which took moreÂconsistently conservative positions under founder Conrad Black would also now rather see the abortion issue disappear and, inÂcontrast toÂsome of its columnists, tends to be soft on the forced gay social engineering agenda. In a 2004 editorial, the Post’s official voice wrote, “The fact is that Canada is a socially liberal nation: if he hopes to win in the future, Mr. Harper will need to leave no doubt about his party’s positions on issues such as abortion and gay rights—perhaps even going so far as embracing gay marriage as a means to take the bigot card away from the Liberals.”
Read previous LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/apr/06040405.html
Quick Summary of Canadian Stem Cell Bill C-6, Formerly C-13
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/feb/04022602.html