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Stem cells, a horrible disease, and a determined mom

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout' started by rhadamanthus, Aug 13, 2010.

  1. rhadamanthus

    rhadamanthus Member

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    Sad, uplifting, and inspiring story.

    Jake:
    [​IMG]
    Graphic picture: Nate's foot before the transplant:
    [​IMG]
    Nate's foot transplant +71 days:
    [​IMG]

    [political]It's absurd that the US limits stem cell research![/political]
     
  2. Xerobull

    Xerobull You son of a b!tch! I'm in!
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  3. G0 R0CKETS

    G0 R0CKETS Member

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    Good read...
     
  4. DFWRocket

    DFWRocket Member

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    This is truly an inspiring story & its a wonder what modern science can do. :p

    But to be fair, this was done with Adult Stem Cells. The overwhelmiing vast majority of breakthroughs are done with adult stem cells. Very, very little has been achieved with embryonic stem cells - and it is Embryonic stem cell research that has been limited.

    Plus, (and I'll be honest, I'm not 100% sure on this) I don't think the US limits the research itself, just the federal funding of it. I don't believe that private research is really limited..could be wrong on that point though.
     
  5. SwoLy-D

    SwoLy-D Member

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    In before D&D'ers come and F this thread up with their stem cell debate. :eek:
     
  6. rhadamanthus

    rhadamanthus Member

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    I don't profess to be an expert but my understanding is that such might be the result of inadequate funding for the embryonic type.

    This is correct and Obama removed those restrictions in 2009. My comment was badly stated and out-of-date. I should have implied that I was upset at the mindset that this research is somehow a "bad thing". Mea culpa.
     
  7. rocketsjudoka

    rocketsjudoka Member
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    I've been hearing some about this story in local MN news and it is a moving and inspiring story. At the risk though of being Debbie Downer this still is a very risky procedure and as noted in the article they still don't know the exact stem cells that make this work.

    On a related note. This story I think touches upon another controversial subject. If the two Lioa children have been born with this condition I am wondering if there is a genetic test for this condition? It seems to me that people thinking of having kids with this condition could detect it prenatally and decide whether to bring the fetus to term, or if they could even use IVF and screen for this in the embryo stage.

    I understand this raise a ton of red flags regarding abortion, IVF and genetic testing and am not saying they should do this just putting it out for discussion.
     
  8. ROXRAN

    ROXRAN Member

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    wrong forum
     
  9. Surfguy

    Surfguy Member

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    It's an inspiring story. It reminds me of Lorenzo's Oil. Where does one turn to when the establishment doesn't take on certain illnesses due to establishment reasoning dismissing the research as impractical or not worth it? Sometimes, you just have to give someone a kick in the ass in the right direction. Good for her! One thing that comes out of these stories is doctors hold the power to do something about it. They just have to commit a significant amount of their time to do something about it. If the patients' families do not push the issue, then noone will.
     
  10. DFWRocket

    DFWRocket Member

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    ya, I'm okay with the research as long as we're not creating embryos specifically for this purpose. I supported the bill (that did not pass due to the far right) that would have okayed funding using existing embryos, like those from fertility clinics, etc.
     
  11. Yonkers

    Yonkers Member

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    You're right. So sad and uplifting too.
    I can't judge her but it would be hard for me to have another child after one with that genetic disease. She did have an older one that was normal so I guess the third one was a gamble? That sounds harsh but without any testing it is.
     
  12. Major

    Major Member

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    A side note on this part - not particularly relevant to this story because her kids were able to wait for all of this research and weren't in imminent danger of dying - but I've never understood why, when there are crazy new breakthroughs, they have to go through so much testing before being allowed to be tried on humans who are about to die.

    Certainly you need to do the research and testing to expand it to general use - no question about that. But if there's a new cancer breakthrough, and you have a cancer patient that has 3 months to live, and he wants to try it despite it needing another year of testing for FDA approval, I don't see why this is not allowed.
     
  13. droxford

    droxford Member

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    Actually what they could (and should) do is....

    The lab can collect his sperm and some of her eggs. Isolate sperm that don't have the genes of the genetic disease (or, if it's from her genes, use an egg that doesn't have the gene)... artificially inseminate, and put the fertilized egg back into her.

    Not only would they have a baby from their own sperm/eggs, and not only would they have a child that did not have the genetic disease, but ALL of that child's offspring and genetic line would no longer have the disease.
     

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