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Human Based Stem Cell Culture Medium Developed

Posted by samzenpus on from the get-it-in-you dept.

ubersonic writes "A new culture medium for growing human stem cells -- that contains no animal products -- is offering researchers a cleaner and therefore safer environment for performing the cutting-edge technology. The discovery means that stem cells developed for therapeutic use can be transferred directly to human subjects. By using this medium all of the concerns about contaminating proteins in existing stem cell lines can essentially be removed."

4 of 133 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Interesting Discovery by TubeSteak · · Score: 5, Informative
    Could this totally remove the argument about stem cell research?
    Nothing can remove the argument about stem cell research.

    The measures taken by Pres. Bush only placate some of the critics.

    There will always be a group of hardliners who think any stem cell research is bad, in the same way that some people think any abortions are bad, irrelevant of the circumstances.

    For some people, the issue is about where the stem cells came from, for others, the issue is about what can be done with the stem cells.
    --
    [Fuck Beta]
    o0t!
  2. Further research planned by LameJokeGuy · · Score: 5, Funny

    American scientists expect further research to lead to breakthroughs in Large and Super-Sized stem cell cultures in the near future.

  3. Re:Orthogonal issues by mrbooze · · Score: 5, Insightful

    No, the argument that it "encourages" abortion is not strong at all, it's completely non-existent.

    Does anyone out there really think that young women are sitting around thinking "Hey, if I get pregnant, I can go through annoying hormonal shifts, then have a painful and mildly risky invasive procedure, then they can use my aborted fetus to do medical resarch! Hooray!"?

    People can reasonably have ethical objections to the concept of aborting a fetus for any reason, but it takes a special kind of brain damage to think stem cell research *encourages* women to have abortions.

    Especially since one of the most commonly suggested sources of stem cells are excess fertilized eggs from fertility treatments that are going to be destroyed anyway.

  4. Re:Interesting Discovery by Tallweirdo · · Score: 5, Interesting
    This doesn't change anything wrt the debate about if it's right - which is primarily over the fact that the most useful stem cells still come from aborted fetuses, which nearly all anti-abortion advocates think is immoral.
    It is my understanding that research stem cells do not come from aborted fetuses but instead from fetuses or fertilised eggs created for IVF (In-Vitro Fertilisation) but not implanted. This is an important distinction as surplus IVF fetuses are eventually destroyed (incinerated as biological waste) after the mother successfully gives birth.

    Stem cell research is performed using fetuses that would have been destroyed anyway. Can anybody argue that using them for research is morally any worse than simply destroying them?