Adult stem cell research the best way forward

A COMPASSIONATE electorate has voted no to the imposition of abortion in three referenda. It is difficult to understand why Enterprise, Trade and Employment Minister Micheál Martin now plans to vote yes to funding embryonic stem cell research at the EU council of ministers.

An embryo belongs to the human family as much as any minister. All were once embryos. Happily, like all of us, they were allowed to live. It is a sad day for democracy when those elected by the people misrepresent their views on attaining power.

The minister must know that adult stem cell research is the way forward. Unlike embryonic stem cell research, there are no weird practices such as cloning, freezing, thawing or deadly experiments on the tiniest of mortals. Top scientists are finding adult stem cells in the marrow, the blood, human skin, the umbilical cord.

There is also mounting evidence of medical successes (unlike claims of embryonic stem cell research) coming from the Institute of Research at McGill University, Montreal, Canada, and from the Hall Institute of Medical Research at the University of Melbourne, to mention a few. Embryonic stem cell research is already richly funded.

Further funding would be anathema to taxpayers, and more so as it is taking funds from adult stem cell research, which is totally under-funded.

Why not endow our own higher institutes of learning so that our scientists can contribute to adult stem cell research and so fund undreamt-of cures for the ills plaguing mankind.

Jane Quinlan

Altadena

Model Farm Road

Cork