Paul Greenberg at Townhall writes about the recent iPSC breakthrough that allows researchers to obtain embryonic-like pluripotent stem cells from ordinary skin cells without creating or harming human embryos. Unfortunately, as Greenberg shows us, the push for unethical research that threatens tiny human life will continue. Excerpts:
It was heralded as not just a scientific but an ethical breakthrough:
Scientists in this country and Japan had found a new way to produce what are in effect embryonic stem cells - but without having to destroy human embryos to do so.
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You may remember Ian Wilmut, the Scottish researcher who helped clone Dolly the sheep years ago. He was at least as enthusiastic. He announced he would abandon his efforts to clone - and then destroy - human embryos in order to produce stem cells, and would switch to the new, less politically and ethically troublesome method.
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Anyone of even passing familiarity with the endless demands of human ambition for fame and/or fortune - the Greeks called it Hubris - will not be surprised to learn that the latest discovery has scarcely discouraged those eager to experiment with human embryos.
Read the entire article here.