After reading the article, I am able to sympathize with the ESC banks. It is such a costly endeavor and having the funders stop monetary support is huge in the advancements. It is hard to move forward with experimenting and research without money to do so. Although I am still against chosing ESC research for myself, I do sympathize with the scientists involved in the research. First of all, it is an extremely controversial field of medicine and has the possibility of becoming obsolete at any given moment depending on who is in power at the time (ex. the guideline changes put into action under Bush). To have worked so hard to develop a life-changing advancement in medicine and the hard work to become all for naught is tough to swallow. I also agree with one of the last statements of the article: "I think it is important that NIH support multiple such banks for both human ES and iPS cell lines [so] there could be regional support and competition, and the over-all quality would continue to improve." The competition is good for this field. Also, this protects the research in case of a diaster. At least some of the research and embryos would be protected at a different location. Overall, I feel really terrible that the scientists are having to lose money on this research due to the new guidelines. Though I disagree with the concept, I still feel terrible that the money for this amazing research has been cut out.
I am going to agree with Brittany's take on this article, even though I didn't think I would after reading it. Funding for these types of things is so tricky and I think that it's really a shame that these men and women working towards creating positive advances for mankind are just being cut off so quickly. I'm only surprised that I agree with Brittany because of the opinions she shared in our previous class, but I guess I shouldn't be - its in her good nature. The fact that these scientists went into this research with a different set of rules that just totally changed midway through seems totally unfair but at the same time we should keep in mind that they probably knew something like this could potentially happen
I agree with what Brittany says about this article. I don't believe in stem cell research, but agree that this must be difficult for the people involved. To work so hard for all the advancements in this area just to see it taken away is incomprehensible. But they must have realized that this could be possible because of the controversy surrounding stem cell research. Maybe the NIH has a great plan in mind when they let the contract run out.
I think it is a shame to let funding for such a potential for beneficial medicine to run out. This is part of the reason why I am not opposed to private/for profit organizations. It is another way to keep funding for such a revolutionary treatment survive. If all of their research is stopped then all of the stem cells used in the research will be wasted.
I don't understand why the NIH let the contract lapse; I wish they had discussed the reason in the article as well as the difficulties NSCB is experiencing. In any case, I'm on board with Jacob- I do not oppose stem cell research, and with such great potential, it seems wasteful to delay research now. Not to mention the literal waste of stem cells resulting from political confusion.
After reading the article, I am able to sympathize with the ESC banks. It is such a costly endeavor and having the funders stop monetary support is huge in the advancements. It is hard to move forward with experimenting and research without money to do so. Although I am still against chosing ESC research for myself, I do sympathize with the scientists involved in the research. First of all, it is an extremely controversial field of medicine and has the possibility of becoming obsolete at any given moment depending on who is in power at the time (ex. the guideline changes put into action under Bush). To have worked so hard to develop a life-changing advancement in medicine and the hard work to become all for naught is tough to swallow.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with one of the last statements of the article: "I think it is important that NIH support multiple such banks for both human ES and iPS cell lines [so] there could be regional support and competition, and the over-all quality would continue to improve."
The competition is good for this field. Also, this protects the research in case of a diaster. At least some of the research and embryos would be protected at a different location.
Overall, I feel really terrible that the scientists are having to lose money on this research due to the new guidelines. Though I disagree with the concept, I still feel terrible that the money for this amazing research has been cut out.
I am going to agree with Brittany's take on this article, even though I didn't think I would after reading it. Funding for these types of things is so tricky and I think that it's really a shame that these men and women working towards creating positive advances for mankind are just being cut off so quickly. I'm only surprised that I agree with Brittany because of the opinions she shared in our previous class, but I guess I shouldn't be - its in her good nature.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that these scientists went into this research with a different set of rules that just totally changed midway through seems totally unfair but at the same time we should keep in mind that they probably knew something like this could potentially happen
I agree with what Brittany says about this article. I don't believe in stem cell research, but agree that this must be difficult for the people involved. To work so hard for all the advancements in this area just to see it taken away is incomprehensible. But they must have realized that this could be possible because of the controversy surrounding stem cell research. Maybe the NIH has a great plan in mind when they let the contract run out.
ReplyDeleteI think it is a shame to let funding for such a potential for beneficial medicine to run out. This is part of the reason why I am not opposed to private/for profit organizations. It is another way to keep funding for such a revolutionary treatment survive. If all of their research is stopped then all of the stem cells used in the research will be wasted.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why the NIH let the contract lapse; I wish they had discussed the reason in the article as well as the difficulties NSCB is experiencing. In any case, I'm on board with Jacob- I do not oppose stem cell research, and with such great potential, it seems wasteful to delay research now. Not to mention the literal waste of stem cells resulting from political confusion.
ReplyDelete