Hmmmmmm...
- Thread starter Mysty119
- Start date
President Bush never prevented stem cell research of any kind.
It was the FUNDING by the government that was limited to existing embronic stem cell lines, but embryonic stem cell research was not restricted in any shape or form if done by private researchers wioth their own money.
It's a shame that the media didn't report this issue properly.
It was the FUNDING by the government that was limited to existing embronic stem cell lines, but embryonic stem cell research was not restricted in any shape or form if done by private researchers wioth their own money.
It's a shame that the media didn't report this issue properly.
His administration did nothing to foster the growth of research or to sponsor any key bills that could have aided it. Since this was his last keynote, stem cell research was considered significant enough to list it among other key legislation including health care, that will likely be left for the next administration as unfinished business. It is far more likely that key scientists in this country will get involved when NIH and other government entities are funding such research. His "tainting" of the embryonic "moral issue" was significant in squashing of anything moving forward.
Harv
I'm not sure that's the government's job. I believe that medical treatments should come from the medical community not the government.
I don't want to get into an argument here, but I'm for less government running my life. And to expect the President to tell the medical community to work on cures well it doesn't seem to me that he is supposed to be in charge of that.
I'm not sure that's the government's job. I believe that medical treatments should come from the medical community not the government.
I don't want to get into an argument here, but I'm for less government running my life. And to expect the President to tell the medical community to work on cures well it doesn't seem to me that he is supposed to be in charge of that.
Wow---I'm sorry if I read the blog on Aol wrong. I tried to go and find it just now, and can't (of course). I thought he was totally against stem cell "period". Then I read that he approved of stem cell research as long as it wasn't embryonic. Sorry---I didn't mean to upset anyone.
No argument.
I feel quite qualified to comment on how most such scientific research normally takes place.
Since my father was a renowned research scientist, I am far more than aware of normal protocol for this, since I lived around it all of his life.
It's not a matter of the government "running your life" at all.
I think you are missing the point:
The "medical community" doesn't work on cures.
Scientists work on cures.
Scientists work at universities and their research is usually federally funded.
The federal government, through agencies including the National Institute of Health (NIH) provides funding for research including stem cell research.
There can be private funding and private research as well, and scientists working for these private companies, but the typical scientist is a university professor of some kind.
Once a suggested cure gets to the clinical trial stage, the trials are done by doctors in hospitals, again, most often through federally funded trials.
So, again, it is not a matter of the government running your life, it is a matter of our needing federal funding as a vehicle to pay for the research and testing.
Not intending to be political here, but...
Having your tax dollars pay for all facets of accelerated stem cell research vs paying for a war would be one clear example. You could fund a lot of research with a small portion of that money.
Stem cells are likely more complicated than would seem obvious right now.
We may be in clinical trials for a methodology that may be correct, may be partially correct, or may be totally wrong. We just don't know yet. They may be the true cure for 2 illnesses or 200.
That's where support for big time federal funding would be the key.
And the president's only role in this process is to tell congress and his aides that he wants specific funding for such research written into the next budget, and then to sign and not veto any budget or bills relating to such research.
President Bush calling for stem cell research in his State of the Union address was something dramatic for him to say, but carried little or no weight, since there is relatively little if anything in the current federal budget targeted at stem cell research right now. This would have to change in the next administration.
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Harv
Aren't these scientists generally research phyisicans? I consider them part of the medical community.
If scientists are the ones looking for cures all I can say is they aren't doing a very good job of it. How many cures have we seen in the past 10 years?
I have spoken with a few of these scientists and they spend more time on getting funding than they do on research. Something is wrong with the system.
Aren't these scientists generally research phyisicans? I consider them part of the medical community.
If scientists are the ones looking for cures all I can say is they aren't doing a very good job of it. How many cures have we seen in the past 10 years?
I have spoken with a few of these scientists and they spend more time on getting funding than they do on research. Something is wrong with the system.
Money, money, money
In an ideal world, we would not be spending money on wars, but we don't live in one. The crazy thing with government is that even if there is money to spare, it doesn't mean it would be used prudently or for something like stem cell research. According to the latest information I have read, the amount spent on "pork" is far more than is spent on the military efforts. The average person does not take the time to research where their tax dollars are being spent. If they did, most would be shocked to find out how much of their hard earned money is totally wasted. I fire off a few curt notes every month to my representatives, but I haven't seen that it does any more than make me feel a little better for chewing them out. I invariably get the form letter reply no matter what subject it is I am railing about. No wonder many feel helpless.
In an ideal world, we would not be spending money on wars, but we don't live in one. The crazy thing with government is that even if there is money to spare, it doesn't mean it would be used prudently or for something like stem cell research. According to the latest information I have read, the amount spent on "pork" is far more than is spent on the military efforts. The average person does not take the time to research where their tax dollars are being spent. If they did, most would be shocked to find out how much of their hard earned money is totally wasted. I fire off a few curt notes every month to my representatives, but I haven't seen that it does any more than make me feel a little better for chewing them out. I invariably get the form letter reply no matter what subject it is I am railing about. No wonder many feel helpless.
A scientist does not have to be a physician to be working on discovery issues for stem cells.
Most scientists are not. More likely they are chemists or molecular biologists.
They can be research physicians, it totally depends. The ones for drug companies are, and I don't trust the drug company's research at all, and the Vioxx and Zetia that they have brought the world lately.
I am not saying that there are not good drugs also, but most of what I now take is 10+ years old. Those are the drugs I trust more.
Yes, research grants take up a lot of time.
Those are things that a new administration can bring us:
1.) Less paperwork and easier to apply-for research grants.
2.) More money for research.
3.) Less tolerance and "free reign" of the drug companies and their testing.
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Power in the people?
I think the three things you mention Harv are the most common sense approach I have heard in a long time. I am reading an excellent book on HBOT (oxygen therapy). I am going to post some excerpts from it later to show just what it takes to get something through the channels. It is actually very upsetting and sometimes takes someone who knows someone to get things moving. In the case in the book, someone with the power to move things along had a sibling who needed treatment. The author does say there is power in the people, so armed with the three things Harv has suggested, I will send my blast to my representatives. I have tried on several occasions to contact the presidential candidates to see where they stand on stem cell research. Since they are all busy campaigning, no one seems to have time for a response. It's hard to find out where a candidate stands on an issue when no one wants to talk about it. If anyone from other countries is reading this, are you having the same problem? I find it encouraging that Germany has evidently taken a stance for stem cells and am surprised that more clinics are not operating there.
I think the three things you mention Harv are the most common sense approach I have heard in a long time. I am reading an excellent book on HBOT (oxygen therapy). I am going to post some excerpts from it later to show just what it takes to get something through the channels. It is actually very upsetting and sometimes takes someone who knows someone to get things moving. In the case in the book, someone with the power to move things along had a sibling who needed treatment. The author does say there is power in the people, so armed with the three things Harv has suggested, I will send my blast to my representatives. I have tried on several occasions to contact the presidential candidates to see where they stand on stem cell research. Since they are all busy campaigning, no one seems to have time for a response. It's hard to find out where a candidate stands on an issue when no one wants to talk about it. If anyone from other countries is reading this, are you having the same problem? I find it encouraging that Germany has evidently taken a stance for stem cells and am surprised that more clinics are not operating there.