Advances in Medical Science

[naruki_oni]

It probably won't happen here in the next four years, but in South Korea stem cell research has enabled a paralyzed woman to walk - two decades after being disabled!

On the other hand, I've heard that the Bush Anti-science ban is only on federal funding, not on the legality of doing the research. Thus, California is supposed to have funded their own research in defiance of the Neanderthal in Chief's wishes.

If true, way to fucking go, California! I almost forgive you for picking an actor rather than a good politician. (To be fair, he is a good actor in his genres.)

Comments

[mood-indigo.livejournal.com]

I support this type of research but didn't vote for that particular proposition only because California is having -severe- financial difficulties right now and I just couldn't justify spending that huge amount of money on the research (at this time). :P

Fair enough.

[naruki-oni.livejournal.com]

Unlike the conservative "Right", you understand that you can't just spend money without making money, even if you think it's something worth spending money on.

Hell, they even think they can spend more and make less! Grr.

I'd like to neuter them all. Oh, yes. I've got toothpicks.

proudly presenting:

[saminz.livejournal.com]

This here news item :-)!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4049141.stm

Re: proudly presenting:

[blackbyrd2.livejournal.com]

How long til the religious Right starts bombing laboratories where the research is conducted, killing scientists in the name of 'preserving life'?

Any bets?

Personally, I think a good deal of thought needs to be spent on restricting and regulating the procedures for acquiring the embryos for embryonic stem cell research, but I'm all in favor of the work itself.

[blackbyrd2.livejournal.com]

One has to wonder, (under the arrogant assumption that our own scientific resources are so much more extensive than S Korea's,) how much further along we'd be if it weren't for maroons like the Shrub...

And yes, Go Cali!

"our" new law states that:

[saminz.livejournal.com]

Only the embryos that were produced for reproduction anyway and then not "used" can be taken, and then only if the parents agree. More or less instead of throwing them away. And that cloning new ones for research is forbidden. That is probably why the vote was so clear. We don't have these violent and out of control fundamentalists (yet?), thank heavens.

I think that's a bit short-sighted.

[johnnyorigami.livejournal.com]

Suppose, for example, that the Bush administration (showing the same kind of forward-thinking open-mindedness that won it the election in the first place) ignores the scientific and health-related benefits of stem cell research, and decrees it immoral. Quite a stretch, I know, but just try to imagine.

Now, only one state in the union, as far as I know, is looking at spending money on SCR: California. This results in several things:
1) Increased spending ($3 billion over the next 10 years, right?), which is bad.
2) New skilled jobs in a state which saw a massive loss of skilled jobs several years ago, which is good.
3) Possible (in my opinion, probable) influx of biotech companies investing in this research, which is good. (Also possible, but less likely, companies to supply the biotech market.)
4) A headstart on any other state trying to attract employment and high-tech businesses, which is good.

I've searched, and it seems that Wisconsin has a similiar initiative, but my points still stand.

If you ever get them...

[naruki-oni.livejournal.com]

Kill them on sight. It's the only way to save your country.

What's in the article is different

[(Anonymous)]

It is umbilical cord stem cells. The research on those stem cells has been going on much longer, and funding isn't restricted on them.

In voting for the California stem cell research bond measure, I weighed the cost against the hopeful benefits. If my taxes go up because of it, I still think it is money well spent.

As for the private sector, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute does fund embryonic stem cell research without restrictions on the lines. One researcher supported by HHMI has created 17 new lines.

buddha

Re: What's in the article is different

[blackbyrd2.livejournal.com]

I assumed that embryonic stem cell research would have provided much more advanced results than umbilical, although, re-reading the article I see comments about embryonic producing more rejection by the host body, so maybe not.

How does HHMI manage unrestricted research? I'd have thought Bush and the R. Right would have managed some legislation to prevent it entirely, regardless of funding. I'm glad to hear someone is doing the work.

I think the difference is

[(Anonymous)]

and why the push for embryonic stem cell research is the umbilical stem cells are limited in what types of cells they can produce, while researchers think embryonic stem cells are unlimited. I hadn't heard about the rejection problems with embryonic stem cells before, that is definitely a problem.

So far Bush has only restricted research getting federal money, so HHMI and California can fund any stem cell research they want, for now. I wouldn't put it past Bush to try to stop the research now that more non-federal funding is happening.

buddha

Re: Fair enough.

[mood-indigo.livejournal.com]

I don't think I'd enjoy being spayed, thanks. And yes, you should watch where you lay that blanket of generalization, we're not all Christian or socially conservative. :| I really was thinking in a practical sense, I don't think anyone realizes what dire straits our (California's) financial situation is unless they've lived here for as long as I have which would include all the years leading up to the situation we're in, budget-wise. I strongly feel that before we can afford to pour that much money into something like this research we have to think of the -immediate- consequences first. That isn't short-sighted of me at all (referring to another's comment, not yours) considering the fact that I AM the one who has to live here and suffer this heinous budget crunch. I don't think I should have to vote for anything simply because it's setting a precedent for other states so they can say "hurrah California!" while they look down their noses on the conservative Southern state they -choose- to live in ;)

Speaking of which, Naurki...why DO you still live in the South? You're such a little flaming agnostic (agnostic "just in case", if I remember correctly) liberal! You'd be happy living in Northern California, I think. =)

Re: If you ever get them...

[saminz.livejournal.com]

I'll think about it, promise. Or else, there's always toothpicks, right :-)?
No, seriously. We are still FAR away from fundamentalism of that sort being an accepted form of argumentation. (That sentence sure looks weird. wonder if it's correct...) The swiss are a pragmatic lot, more or less. And we do not really like our thinking being done for us. While direct democracy can be a painfully slow process, it does wonders to file off the extreme edges of just about anything. Up to now. And if we do get them, I am sure the majority will scream: "Foreigners!!"

You're a conservative? In what way?

[naruki-oni.livejournal.com]

I would happily neuter them all until I am made aware of a type of conservative that is actually good or neutral. At that, I think I'm being nice. But don't think liberals will get a free ride, either. They're gonna have to pay for the operations. Toothpicks aren't cheap, you know. Well, they are, but that's a LOT of toothpicks.

You've missed a lot. I have been living in Rhode Island for the last two years. Not by choice, as the best thing we have going for us is The Family Guy and the Farrelly brothers. Which are great things, but still. And I will soon be living in Japan. Within a couple of months at the soonest.

I wasn't ideologically "Southern", but the temperature was fine and Atlanta had lots of cultural access. I'd probably be a lot happier in NYC than here, though. Ah, well, moot point.

You're spot on with point 2.

[thewrongcrowd.livejournal.com]

The $3 billion that California spends on SCR is an excellent economic investment that will pay returns very quickly. And they'll find that the biotech firms interested in California won't just be those doing stem-cell work.

Oh and Woo Wisconsin! We've also told the feds to go fuck themselves concerning reimportation of drugs from Canada. Yea for the mavericks.